England win a ‘relief’ for Pakistan

Captain Shan Masood hailed Pakistan’s second Test win over England in Multan on Friday as a “relief” but warned his team’s dire recent record would take a long time to turn around.
Pakistan spinner Noman Ali grabbed 8-46 and Sajid Khan took 2-93 as the pair wrapped up England’s second innings for 144 after the visitors were set a daunting target of 297.
The 152-run victory was Pakistan’s first home win since February 2021 and came after they were thumped by an innings in the first Test on the same Multan pitch.
“This was a very important win for Pakistan cricket. The recent results were unacceptable. There is relief, whether you ask cricketers or fans,” said Masood.
“We were hurt after recent results and wanted a positive result, which has come here,” he said. “We need to carry this forward because things will not change overnight.”
Noman finished with a match haul of 11-147 while Sajid had figures of 9-204, only the second time in Pakistan’s history that two bowlers took all 20 wickets in a Test.
Pakistan’s last Test win at home came against South Africa in Rawalpindi more than three years ago. It was followed by 11 home Tests without a win.
Friday’s victory is the first for Masood in his six Tests since being appointed captain last year. “This win is special for the team and for me as well,” he said.
Pakistan dropped ace batsman Babar Azam in one of four changes after their defeat in the first Test.
“Since I’ve come in we’ve had no issue taking risks. We’ve tried to play cricket that brings results, and we’ve lost a lot of matches doing that too,” said Masood.
“But we want to become a team that can produce results anywhere. This is a long process and journey.”
Masood said his team’s first innings score of 366 had set up the win.
“We need big first innings with the bat and then the bowlers to back us up,” said Masood, whose team then bowled England out for 291 for an invaluable 75-run lead.
“The lead took the third innings pressure off us,” he said.
The final Test starts in Rawalpindi on October 24.
HIGHLIGHTS
*Pakistan’s 152-run win in the second Test against England in Multan was their first home win after 11 Tests.
*Noman Ali took 11 wickets for 147 while Sajid Khan finished with figures of 9-204, becoming only the second pair of Pakistan bowlers to take all 20 wickets in a Test after Fazal Mahmood and Khan Mohammad in a Test against Australia in Karachi in 1956.
*The match figures of Noman and Sajid are now ranked the top two figures by any bowler in a Test in Multan.
*It was also the first time since 1987, and the seventh instance overall for Pakistan, that two Pakistani spinners have taken a five-wicket haul in the same match.
*Noman’s 11/147 is also the third-best match figure in a Pakistan-England Test.