From the unimaginable to the inevitable, Pakistan etched their name into the record books for the wrong reasons. They became the first team in Test history to lose by an innings after posting over 550 runs in the first innings. England sealed one of their most remarkable victories, winning the first Test by an innings and 47 runs on Day 5 in Multan.
The match seemed to be heading for a draw after England declared their first innings at 823/7, with Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root (262) providing the bulk of the runs on a flat pitch. The Test took a dramatic turn in favour of the tourists when Pakistan suffered a batting collapse late on the fourth day.
While the conditions remained relatively flat, England’s pacers exploited the new ball in the third session on Day 4, making the pitch appear unplayable at times, as cracks opened up and the bounce became unpredictable. Fatigue from spending 150 overs in the field caught up with the Pakistan batters, reducing them to 82/6 before a late rescue effort from Agha Salman and Aamer Jamal offered some hope.
With Abrar Ahmed hospitalised, England needed just three wickets to secure victory and might have done so earlier had they not dropped four catches on Day 4.
Salman and Jamal scored valiant half-centuries, but the task proved too great. England’s ever-reliable Jack Leach spun his side to what had seemed an improbable win, taking the final three wickets to seal the match.
England’s rapid scoring rate opened the door for a result, and full credit goes to their bowlers for capitalising on the opportunity. Chris Woakes led the charge, with valuable support from the less experienced Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse.
Pakistan’s struggles at home continue, as they set yet another unwanted record. What should have been a straightforward task of surviving the final four sessions on a batter-friendly pitch turned into a familiar story of collapse. Following a recent series defeat against Bangladesh, the hosts once again crumbled under pressure.
This crushing defeat further damages Pakistan’s already faltering Test record, stretching their losing streak to six consecutive matches. With Pakistan cricket at its lowest point, criticism was inevitable after such a result. Here are some of the top reactions.
“It’s a question of positive cricket from England or lack of endurance by Pakistan to describe today’s result. A team with a great cricketing history lacking a victory in the last 10 Test matches on home soil is not what we need to see,” Brad Hogg on X.
“I’m sure bowlers will be questioning the quality of this track because they bend their back and nothing has happened,” Ramiz Raja said on a local TV channel. “You start questioning why such a surface was provided and why are we playing on such a surface at home.”
“Pakistan Cricket is a gift that keeps giving,” wrote Aakash Chopra on X.
“Babar Azam needs rest,” Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel. “He should be the one saying, ‘I need to rest’. It’s been 18 innings without a significant performance. Any other player would have been dropped after three games, like Fawad Alam. This is the harsh reality.”
“220 runs in the third innings depending on the kind of lead you have can also be a good score,” Shan Masood on the 3rd innings collapse. “The trick is for us to learn from England, they found ways to get 20 wickets, and you can’t win without that. Yes, we have the 2nd innings to improve on but the most important thing is to learn how to pick up 20 wickets.”
“I wasn’t upset with the surface here,” said Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie. “It’s pretty much what we expected and what we thought was going to be the best opportunity to play well in the game. If you look at our first innings, we put up a score of 550 and that part was fine. No one was saying anything about the surface then. It was only when we didn’t get our plans right and execute our skills with the ball that everyone started to talk about the surface.