PAK vs ENG Test: For the first time in three years, Pakistan has won a Test series at home. This victory came amidst significant changes to the squad, with superstar players Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah dropped for the second and third Tests. Interestingly, Pakistan won both matches to overturn a 0-1 deficit and claim the series 2-1. This win is historic in several ways. First, it marks Pakistan’s first series victory at home since 2021. Second, they came from behind to win a series for the first time in their cricket history. That’s significant.
PAK vs ENG Test: Noman Ali and Sajid Khan Show
The Pakistan cricket team has reasons to believe that their misfortunes in Test cricket have turned a corner for good. They made some tough decisions, dropping high-profile players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah, but the important thing is that the move paid off. Kamran Ghulam was the star in the second Test match, scoring a magnificent century in the first innings, while Numan Ali and Sajid Khan ripped through England’s batsmen in the third Test, with the duo combining for a staggering 19 wickets across two innings. It’s worth mentioning that they took all 10 wickets in England’s second innings.
Noman Ali, Sajid Khan share 19 wickets between them in the third Test to power Pakistan to an unforgettable series win against England 🌟#WTC25 | #PAKvENG https://t.co/esU1zkorg9
— ICC (@ICC) October 26, 2024
Turning point in PAK vs ENG 3rd test
Ben Stokes made the right decision by opting to bat first after winning the toss. On a challenging pitch, England posted a respectable score of 267 in their first innings, thanks to half-centuries from Ben Duckett (52 off 84) and Jamie Smith (89 off 119). The visitors were in a commanding position after reducing Pakistan to 177/7, with better odds of winning the Test match. However, the turning point came with the 88-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Saud Shakeel (134) and Noman Ali (45). Shakeel then formed another significant partnership of 72 runs for the ninth wicket, this time with Sajid Khan (48), as Pakistan took a lead of 77 runs in the first innings.
In their second innings, England struggled to settle and seemed to be playing for a losing cause, continuously losing wickets. The standout performers were Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, with the former taking six wickets and the latter four, as Ben Stokes’ team was bundled out for just 112 runs, leaving Pakistan with a target of only 36 runs, which the hosts achieved in just 3.1 overs.
With this win, Pakistan demonstrated that they have enough talent to beat any team in the world. It will be interesting to see how the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reintegrates Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah back into the Test team.
