In a remarkable display of skill and endurance, England scored a historic win over Pakistan in the first Test in Multan.
England bowlers shine in historic win over Pakistan
The win was all the more impressive given England’s inexperienced bowling attack, which saw four bowlers play their first-class match in Pakistan.
Despite Pakistan’s mammoth first innings score of 576, England’s bowlers managed to score 20 for 756 runs to claim a remarkable victory. In contrast, Pakistan’s bowling attack could only concede seven English innings for 823 runs.
The defeat is Pakistan’s sixth in a row under the captaincy Shan Massoud.
Shan Masood acknowledges Pakistan’s struggle
In a post-match interview, Masood admitted that his bowlers need to learn from England’s approach to the game, especially in terms of finding ways to win on difficult pitches. “The harsh reality is that after two days in the sun and 556 runs, England found a way and we didn’t.” he said after his team’s embarrassing defeat.
“They picked 10 wickets to give themselves a chance to hit big.
“When they came back with the ball, they had a plan and there was a window of opportunity with the new ball and the cracks open. The harsh reality is that no matter what the pitch, quality sides will find a way and the learning for us is to find a way when we play Test cricket.
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England’s victory was made possible by their ability to adapt to circumstances and take advantage of opportunities. Despite the flat pitch, England’s bowlers found ways to take wickets and put pressure on the Pakistanis.
Pakistan’s collapse in the second innings was a major factor in their defeat. Despite a solid start, Pakistan’s top order collapsed and they could not recover.
“I wouldn’t say my team is mentally weak” Masood said when asked if a psychological barrier prevented Pakistan’s batsmen from succeeding in the second innings.
“An isolated third inning can look like a collapse and come across as everything going wrong. But if we had kept England to our score, who we thought we did well with the bat in the first innings, then that 220 we put up today could have been the margin and something above 150 on the final day. pitch requires proper follow-up” he added.
The loss in the series opener is a huge setback for Pakistan, who have struggled to find their form in Test cricket. The team must make significant improvements if they hope to turn their fortunes around.
