Pakistan demolished England on Friday as their spinners tore through the visitors’ batting line-up, securing a commanding victory at Multan Cricket Stadium and leveling the series 1-1.
Green Shirts beat visitors by 152 runs in the second Test in Multan.
Chasing 297 for victory, England were all out for 144 in the fourth day’s morning session. Skipper Ben Stokes had the top score for England with 37, while Noman Ali was pick of the Pakistan bowlers, claiming 8-46.
The hosts already had the upper hand over the visitors when the play resumed with England at 36-2 and in need of an extraordinary batting effort to get anywhere near the target.
However, the match soon took a daunting turn for England as vice captain Ollie Pope (22) fell in the second over of the day, giving Pakistan’s off-spinner Sajid Khan a return catch before left-arm spinner Noman ran amok.
Meanwhile, Noman dealt the tourists a body blow when he trapped Joe Root lbw for 18, a decision the batter reviewed but could not get overturned.
Harry Brook (16) fell to Noman in a similar fashion and England slumped to 88-6 when Jamie Smith was sent packing.
Stokes has played some match-defining knocks in his illustrious career and England badly needed a similar innings from him.
The captain, scoring at a run-a-ball rate, came dancing down the track against Noman and swung his bat only for it to fly out of his hands to midwicket.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan had all the time in the world to collect the ball and whip off the bail with Stokes well out of the crease.
The third and final Test begins in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Zahid Mehmood
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matt Potts, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir
