Pakistan fought their way to the highest score of the Test match in Multan, making 328 all out on the back of resilient efforts from Saud Shakeel, Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Nawaz. Nevertheless, a poor first innings came back to haunt them as England ultimately prevailed and secured a 2-0 lead to seal a memorable Test series triumph in the subcontinent.
Defending a target of 354, England reduced the hosts to 83 for 3 despite openers Abdullah Shafique (45) and Mohammad Rizwan (30) giving their team a solid start. The tourists roared their way back into the contest on what was still a Day 4 surface through some skillful fast-bowling from Mark Wood and James Anderson. Ollie Robinson, the hero of the last game, delivered perhaps the most important breakthrough, getting rid of the mighty Babar Azam for just 1.
At that stage, England looked like dominating their way to victory. But the duo of Shakeel and Imam had other ideas. The two left-handers stitched an excellent 108-run partnership for the fourth wicket to reignite the Pakistani hopes. Imam, who was forced to shift to the middle-order with an injury, battled pain and discomfort, apart from really disciplined bowling from the visitors to make 60 of the most prized runs in his Test career.
Shakeel batted with similar resolve and skill to produce a measured 94 off 213 balls. Following the departure of Imam, he soon found another able ally in Nawaz, who took the fight to England with an impressive 45 off 62 balls. Till those two were there in the middle, England could take no sigh of relief.
It was a match-winning burst from Wood, however, that then sealed the deal for the tourists as he dismissed both Nawaz and Shakeel in an outstanding spell, marked by pace and hostility that England had hoped would make a difference when they replaced injured Liam Livingstone with him, and not another spinner.
From there, it was only a matter of time. Even as tailenders Agha Salman (20) and debutant Abrar Ahmed (17) gave England a few anxious moments, they held the key. The trio of Anderson, Wood and Robinson added one more scalp apiece to their tallies and helped England reach home with another 26 runs under their kitty.
Pakistan lost the game in the first half, where they were bundled out for just 202 in response to England’s 281, which the tourists then backed up with a third-innings effort of 275 all out. Only skipper Babar (75) and Shakeel found a way to post substantial individual scores despite Pakistan bolstering their batting. England, too, had their stutters but they found more heroes with the bat in hand.
In the first half, it was the top-order duo of Ollie Pope at No.3 making 60 off 61, with opener Ben Duckett top-scoring with a 49-ball 63. Critical thirties from skipper Ben Stokes (30), Will Jacks (31) and Wood (36*) also made their impact. In the second essay, Duckett continued his fantastic form with another impressive knock of 79, but the real difference was made by Harry Brook’s exceptional century (108) that allowed England to reach 275, with Stokes making his presence felt via 41.
Backing their batting effort with another disciplined and skillful display with the ball, England emerged victorious again and conquered the Pakistani challenge with a 2-0 series triumph, England’s first in the subcontinent since Alastair Cook’s men famously nailed it on the Indian shores back in 2012.
Brief scores
England 281/10 (Duckett 63, Pope 60; Ahmed 7/114) & 275/10 (Brook 108, Duckett 79; Ahmed 4/120) beat Pakistan 202/10 (Azam 75, Shakeel 63; Leach 4/98) & 328/10 (Shakeel 94, Imam-ul-Haq 60; Wood 4/65) by 26 runs
