Shan celebrates 'remarkable' victory over England as Pakistan ends home losing streak

Pakistan's captain, Shan Masood, described the team's series-tying victory in the second Test against England as "special," marking the end of a nearly four-year winless streak on home soil in this format.

The 152-run triumph in Multan on Friday represents Pakistan's first home Test victory since their win over South Africa in Rawalpindi in February 2021.

This victory also signifies Pakistan's inaugural Test win under Masood's leadership, following his appointment as captain late last year, succeeding Babar Azam.

"The first victory is always significant, especially after enduring challenging times," Masood remarked after the team rebounded from an innings defeat in the series opener at the same venue.

"The dedication and commitment of the players cannot be questioned, nor can the efforts of everyone involved in this achievement."

"This win is meaningful for all of us, as it comes after a period of adversity, keeping our motivation high. We are pleased to have executed our plans effectively, taking 20 wickets and supporting it with solid performances in both innings."

In a strategic move, Pakistan opted to drop an out-of-form Babar Azam along with key fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi.

They fielded a spin-dominant attack for the second Test, a decision that proved successful as Sajid Khan and Noman Ali collectively claimed all 20 England wickets on a pitch that provided ample turn.

"We have limited experience playing Test cricket in Multan; our only previous match here was two years ago, which also favored spin, so we thought it prudent to adopt a similar approach," Masood explained.

England lost eight wickets during the morning session of the fourth day, ultimately being bowled out for 144 in their second innings.

Opener Ben Duckett delivered a powerful century in the first innings, while Ben Stokes' 37 was the highest score for the visitors in the second innings.

"Ben Duckett's century in the first innings set a precedent for how we should approach chasing this total," Stokes commented afterward.

"Pakistan's players effectively utilized sweep shots, making it challenging to manage the run rate and establish field placements."

In extreme conditions such as these, it is essential to discover a method to counteract the spin, which I believe we successfully accomplished in several key moments.

"We would have preferred to continue, particularly myself and a few teammates who had the opportunity to start; we might have been able to narrow the gap, if not secure a victory."

The third and final test is set to commence in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

SportsLigue