Pakistan delivered a commanding performance against England on Friday, securing a decisive victory at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The win, by 152 runs, levels the three-match Test series at 1-1. Chasing a target of 297 runs, England collapsed to 144 all out in the morning session of the fourth day.
Skipper Ben Stokes was England’s top scorer with 37 runs. However, the team struggled against Pakistan’s spinners throughout the match. Noman Ali was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking 8 wickets for just 46 runs.
When England resumed their innings at 36-2, they needed a remarkable effort to chase down the target. Vice captain Ollie Pope, who scored 22 runs, fell early in the day. Off-spinner Sajid Khan took a return catch, putting England on the back foot.
Noman then struck again, trapping Joe Root lbw for 18. Root reviewed the decision, but it was upheld. Harry Brook followed, also falling to Noman in similar fashion. England slumped to 88-6 when Jamie Smith was dismissed.
Stokes, known for his match-winning innings, was under pressure to deliver. He was scoring at a run-a-ball rate when disaster struck. Attempting a big shot against Noman, his bat slipped from his hands and flew to midwicket. Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan collected the ball effortlessly and removed the bails, catching Stokes well out of his crease.
With this victory, Pakistan has regained momentum in the series. The third and final Test will take place in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
