Though Pakistan hosted the series, they weren’t favorites after hitting “rock bottom” with a recent home loss to Bangladesh.
But Pakistan cricket often thrives amid chaos, and following an opening defeat in Multan, they engineered a dramatic comeback with a 152-run win in the second Test and a swift nine-wicket victory in Rawalpindi.
Abandoning their usual seam-friendly approach, Pakistan set up spin-heavy tracks to challenge England.
After conceding 823 runs in the first Test, Pakistan bowled out England four times for a total of 814 in the next two games. Spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali shined, taking 39 of the 40 wickets in these matches.
Shan Masood highlighted his batters’ sacrifices in adapting to the new template, which tested their form.
“Our batting unit has made sacrifices so the bowlers could take 20 wickets,” Masood stated, addressing criticisms about openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique’s inconsistent runs. “We played in seam-friendly pitches against Bangladesh and spin here for that very purpose.”
Masood praised the team’s response to the revised strategy set by selectors and credited the management’s resilience through challenging times.
“These were our first wins since I took over, and it’s an honor to lead my country. This is about Pakistan cricket progressing,” he reflected.
Now preparing for a tough series in South Africa, Masood hopes Pakistan’s recent successes and upcoming ODIs in Australia will prepare the squad for the tests ahead.