Table of Contents
In a remarkable display of skill and resilience, England secured a historic innings victory over Pakistan in the first Test at Multan.
England’s bowlers shine in historic victory over Pakistan
The win was even more impressive considering England’s inexperienced bowling attack, which featured four bowlers playing their first-class match in Pakistan.
Despite Pakistan’s mammoth first-innings score of 576, England’s bowlers managed to take 20 wickets for 756 runs, setting up a remarkable victory. In contrast, Pakistan’s bowling attack could only manage to dismiss seven English batters for a staggering 823 runs.
The defeat marks Pakistan’s sixth consecutive loss under captain Shan Masood.
Shan Masood acknowledges Pakistan’s struggles
In the post-match interview, Masood acknowledged that his bowlers need to learn from England’s approach to the game, especially in terms of finding ways to win on challenging pitches. “Harsh reality is that England found a way after being under sun for two days and being 556 runs behind and we did not,” he said after his team’s embarrassing defeat.
“They picked 10 wickets to give themselves a chance to bat and bat big.
“When they came back with the ball they had a plan and they had a window of opportunity with the new ball and the cracks open. The harsh reality is that no matter what the pitch is, the quality sides will find a way and learning for us is to find a way when we play Test cricket.”
Also READ: Twitter Reactions – Harry Brook and Joe Root shatter records as England register big win over Pakistan in 1st Test
England’s victory was made possible by their ability to adapt to the conditions and capitalize on opportunities. Despite the flat pitch, England’s bowlers found ways to take wickets and put pressure on the Pakistan batters.
Pakistan’s second-innings collapse was a major factor in their defeat. Despite a solid start, Pakistan’s top order crumbled, and they were unable to recover.
“I wouldn’t say my team is weak mentally,” Masood said when asked if a psychological barrier prevented Pakistan’s batters from succeeding in the second innings.
“Third innings in isolation can seem like a collapse and it can come across as everything has gone wrong. But, had we kept England thereabout our score, which I thought we did a good job with the bat in the first innings, then these 220 that we put on today could have been a difference and anything above 150 on the final day on any kind of pitch requires proper chase,” he added.
The defeat in the series opener is a major setback for Pakistan, who are struggling to find their form in Test cricket. The team will need to make significant improvements if they hope to turn their fortunes around.
