PAK vs ENG 1st Test: Pakistan cricket's glory days a distant memory

Shan Masood & Co suffer record low in 147 years of Test cricket by becoming first team to lose by an innings after scoring 550-plus; skipper throws his bowlers under the bus

England’s bowlers, led by spinner Jack Leach, tore through Pakistan to secure victory in the first Test here on Friday after a record partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root turned the match on its head.

England’s attack made short work of the last four Pakistan batters on Day Five, dismissing the hosts for 200 to win by an innings and 47 runs and draw first blood in the three-match series.

Shan Masood

Leach led the England attack with 4-30 ending Pakistan’s only meaningful partnership on the fifth day when he dislodged Salman Agha for a fighting 63. 

Records galore

Brook smashed 317 and Root a record-setting 262 in England’s mammoth 823-7 declared, giving the visitors a 267-run lead. Their 454, England’s highest-ever partnership for any wicket in Test cricket, gave the visitors an improbable advantage after Pakistan’s impressive 556 first-innings total. 

At stumps on the fourth day on a lifeless pitch, England had posted the fourth-highest Test innings total of 823-7 and taken total control of the match with the hosts teetering at 152-6.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood has now six consecutive defeats since being appointed skipper last year, including three in Australia and two at home at the hands of Bangladesh. The hosts have gone 11 Tests without a win on home grounds, their last win against South Africa came in February 2021. 

Also Read: Retired umpire Aleem Dar’s addition to PCB selection panel draws mixed reactions

Harsh reality

Masood admitted he was gutted after an innings defeat. Pakistan became the first team in Test history to lose a game after scoring 550-plus runs in the first innings. “It is disappointing to lose again. England found a way to win the match; they created their window of opportunity. Harsh reality is that Test cricket quality sides find a way to win matches,” he told the media after the match on Friday.

“I wouldn’t say my team is mentally weak, but we expected this pitch to break by the third day onwards that is why we prolonged our innings. But at the end of the day you have to find ways to take 20 wickets and we are not doing that in recent times,” he said.

Masood said the pitch was the same for both sides, but a good formula to win Test matches is to put up a good first innings score so that you are in the driving seat in the third and fourth innings and then find windows to take 20 wickets. He pointed out that Pakistan had played a Test in Multan for the first time since 2022 and didn’t get a chance to interact with the curator or groundsmen. “Both squads were different this time in Multan. But we need to improve on ways to adapt too conditions and situations every day of a Test and find ways to win as pitch changes everyday,” he said.

Brief scores
Pakistan 556 & 220 (S Agha 63, A Jamal 55*; J Leach 4-30, G Atkinson 2-46, B Carse 2-66) lost to England 823-7d by an innings and 47 runs 

06
No of Tests Shan Masood has led Pakistan in. He has lost all of them

11
Consecutive number of Tests Pakistan have not won at home

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