PAK vs NZ 2nd Test | WTC 2023-25: Updated standings after Pakistan's mammoth 152-run win over England

Pakistan`s Noman Ali (R) and Sajid Khan (L) walk back after winning the second Test (Pic: AFP)

Spinner Noman Ali took eight wickets as Pakistan crushed England by 152 runs in the PAK vs NZ 2nd Test to level the series on Friday in Multan.

Noman grabbed 8-46 and Sajid Khan took 2-93 as the pair wrapped up England's second innings for 144 after the visitors were set a daunting target of 297. It was Pakistan's first home win since February 2021 and came after they were thumped by an innings in the first Test on the same Multan pitch.

The third and final Test starts in Rawalpindi on October 24. Noman finished with a match haul of 11-147 while Sajid had figures of 9-204, only the second time in Pakistan's history that two bowlers took all 20 wickets in a Test.

Pakistan's last Test win at home came against South Africa in Rawalpindi more than three years ago. It was followed by 11 home Tests without a win. This also becomes Shan Masood's first win as skipper after getting the job last year, including 3-0 and 2-0 whitewashes at the hands of Australia and Bangladesh.

Also Read: Team India leadership shake-up? Kaur's captaincy in peril

Pakistan's ploy of dropping ace batsman Babar Azam in one of four changes after the first Test and playing on a reused pitch with three spinners paid off handsomely. Azam's replacement, debutant Kamran Ghulam, made a century to anchor Pakistan's first-innings 366.

England, who made 291 in their first innings, came into the fourth day firmly up against it after losing openers Zak Crawley (three) and Ben Duckett (nought) late on Thursday. Resuming at 36-2 on a reused pitch offering sharp spin, Ben Stokes' men managed to add just 108 runs before folding.

In just the second over of the day off-spinner Sajid -- one of Pakistan's four changes from the first Test -- removed Ollie Pope with a sharp turning delivery and caught the miscued drive off his own bowling. Pope made 22. Noman then trapped first-Test history-maker Joe Root leg-before for 18 and Harry Brook for 16 to leave England facing defeat at 78-5.

Brook smashed an epic 317 and Root a brilliant 262 -- eclipsing Alastair Cook's England Test run record -- in the first match, and their dismissals signalled England's demise was fast approaching. Noman's fourth wicket came in the form of Jamie Smith, whose uppish slog sweep was held by Masood at mid-on.

Stokes and Brydon Carse fought hard to take the total to 125 when Stokes was stumped in a comical manner, jumping out of the crease to loft Noman but missing the ball as his bat flew out of his hands. Noman wrapped up the match with the wickets of Carse (27), Jack Leach (one) and Shoaib Bashir (nought), improving his previous best of 7-70 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year.

Also Read: Pakistan crush England in second Test to set up series decider

PAK vs NZ 2nd Test: WTC 2023-25 standings at a glance

Pakistan have played nine Tests in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, securing three victories and suffering six defeats.

They have also faced an eight-point deduction due to slow over-rate penalties. Their recent win in Multan enhanced their points percentage from 16.67 to 25.92, allowing them to ascend to eighth place, previously occupied by the West Indies.

Conversely, England's points percentage slipped from 45.59 to 43.06 following their loss, yet they managed to maintain their position in fourth place.

(With inputs from agencies)