Pakistan have once again demonstrated that they are at their very best when the world writes them off. The hosts came into the series losing 10 home Tests on the trot, and ended up losing the first Test of the series by an innings and 47 runs.
After 11 consecutive Test losses at home, Pakistan fought their way back to stage a magnificent comeback, winning the last two games in a row. They sealed the Test series against England with two comprehensive victories in the second and third Tests.
On that note, let us look at 3 reasons behind Pakistan’s mind boggling Test series win against England:
1) Kamran Ghulam’s inspirational knock on debut in the second Test
Following a rather embarrassing performance in the first Test, Pakistan did not start too well in the second Test either. Shan Masood won the toss and opted to bat first, but the hosts found themselves two down within the first 45 minutes.
At 19-2, Pakistan required a knock of substance to get them back into the contest. Kamran Ghulam walked in to bat at number 4, with the massive shoes of Babar Azam to fill. However, he never looked out of place. He looked comfortable from the get go, and scored runs with utmost ease.
One could tell this was a player who had toiled hard in the domestic circuit with the way he was judging lengths and not running out of patience. He kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and doubles, and notched up a spectacular ton on debut. He scored 118 off 224 deliveries, and this fighting knock is what brought Shan Masood’s side back into the game.
This knock set the tempo for Pakistan and shifted the momentum towards the hosts. The 149-run stand between Kamran Ghulam and Saim Ayub put Shan Masood’s side in a much better position.
2) Agha Salman taking responsibility down the order in the second Test
Middle order collapses are a common occurrence when it comes to Pakistan Cricket. The reliable Pakistani all-rounder – Agha Salman – ensured that Pakistan did not fall apart in quick succession in the second Test. He scored 31 crucial runs in the first innings, and was a part of a positive looking partnership with Aamer Jamal.
In the second innings, he set an example of how any batter should bat with the tail. The hosts were in a spot of bother at 114-5, but Agha Salman held one end exceptionally well and stitched up a match winning 65-run stand with Sajid Khan for the 9th wicket. He also had a 31-run partnership with Saud Shakeel for the 6th wicket.
Had his matured innings not steadied the ship for Pakistan, England could potentially have been looking at a 220 or 230 target instead of a 290+ target which they actually had to chase.
3) Pakistan calling up Sajid Khan and Noman Ali
Pakistan have had their issues playing red ball cricket at home, and that was mainly due to the flat pitches that were made. Such tracks handicapped Pakistan of their strength – their bowling. On tracks that had little to no assistance for bowlers, it was all about outbatting the opposition, which Pakistan’s rivals very well did over the last couple of years.
This time around, the curators came up with a slow and spinning surface for the second and third Tests. With that in mind, the hosts called up their previously sidelined spinners – Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. Over the next week or so, it was all about these two magicians.
The spin duo picked up 39 out of the 40 wickets that Pakistan picked in the last two games of the series. They proved to be simply too good for Ben Stokes and his men. Sajid Khan, who has been lauded by fans and experts over the globe for his passion and determination, bagged the Player of the Series award with 19 wickets in two games. He also scored 72 crucial runs down the order across three innings.
Noman Ali, on the other hand, had a similar contribution, with 20 wickets in two games and 78 runs scored in three innings. The spin twins took the English batters by storm, and equal credit must be given to Pakistan’s new selection committee who made the bold call to drop star pacers – Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah – to play an all-spin attack barring Aamer Jamal.