Noman Ali’s Eight-Wicket Haul Secures Pakistan’s 152-Run Victory Over England in Multan Test
Series Leveled 1-1
Pakistan’s spinners, led by Noman Ali, bowled their team to a commanding 152-run win over England in the second Test in Multan on Friday, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.
Set a target of 297 on a spinning track, England collapsed to 144 all out during the morning session on the fourth day.
Noman Ali delivered a match-winning performance, taking 8-46, making him the standout bowler.
Remarkably, both Noman and Sajid Khan claimed all 20 wickets in the match, marking just the seventh instance in Test cricket history and the first in 52 years that spinners have achieved this feat.
Skipper Ben Stokes was England’s highest scorer with 37, but their top-order batters struggled to handle the turning ball on a tricky Multan pitch.
Pakistan were in control as England resumed their chase on 36-2, needing a monumental batting effort to reach the 297-run target. Vice-captain Ollie Pope (22) was dismissed early, offering a return catch to off-spinner Sajid Khan. From there, left-arm spinner Noman Ali wreaked havoc.
Noman dealt a crucial blow by trapping Joe Root lbw for 18, a decision that Root unsuccessfully reviewed. Harry Brook (16) followed in a similar manner, and England crumbled to 88-6 when Jamie Smith was dismissed.
Stokes, known for his match-winning innings, looked like England’s last hope.
However, while attempting a big shot off Noman, his bat flew out of his hands, and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan easily removed the bails, leaving Stokes stranded out of his crease.
Reflecting on his first Test victory as Pakistan captain, Shan Masood said, “The first win is always special, especially after some tough times. Noman and Sajid, playing their first games, looked like seasoned pros in the second innings. We didn’t even need a third bowler, which speaks volumes about their performance.”
“When you face conditions like that, you’ve got to find ways to counter the spin,” Stokes said after the match. “We had some good moments, but if a few of us, including myself, had gone on after getting starts, we could have pushed closer to the target or maybe even won.”
The third and final Test series decider will take place in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
