Pakistan Falls to England by Innings in Another Home Test Defeat - Multan Test Day 5

Pakistan is hosting England in a three-match Test series, taking place in the historic city of Multan. Day 5 of the Test match has brought some exciting moments and important plays. Here’s a straightforward review of the day’s highlights and key performances.

Day 5, Session 1: The day began with perfect weather, a welcome change after five days of challenging conditions. However, it wasn't a perfect day for the hosts as they trailed by over 100 runs and were desperate to either take the lead or at least fight for a draw. The day started well for Pakistan as Agha Salman reached his fifty, continuing his good form after scoring a century in the first innings. Pakistan made steady progress, not losing any wickets in the first 50 minutes of play until Jack Leach dismissed Agha Salman. This breakthrough left Pakistan fans feeling disheartened after the 109-run partnership was broken. Shaheen Afridi came in, and Aamer Jamal attempted to increase the score, but Shaheen was also dismissed after scoring some runs. With only two wickets remaining, Pakistan faced a tough situation. Two balls after Naseem Shah hit a six, he was also dismissed, and Pakistan were all out without Abrar Ahmed having to bat. England won the game by an innings and 47 runs, marking the first time in test history that a team lost after scoring 500 runs in the first innings.

What went wrong for Pakistan?

Pakistan started the Test match on a promising note, winning the toss and opting to bat first on a flat, dry surface. Despite an early wicket, captain Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique formed a solid partnership, each scoring centuries and stabilizing the innings. Agha Salman also had a noteworthy performance, helping Pakistan post an impressive first innings total of 556 runs. However, disappointment loomed as star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan failed to deliver on this batting-friendly pitch; their lack of contributions meant the score could have been even higher.

The real challenges emerged with Pakistan’s bowling. While they managed to dismiss England’s captain early in the innings, the struggle began when Joe Root stood firm, amassing a staggering 264 runs. He formed critical partnerships with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, culminating in a historic stand with Harry Brook, who scored his maiden triple century of 317 runs. Pakistan’s fielding woes continued, with several dropped catches and an apparent lack of strategic plans to break the English resistance. Even when the new ball was available, the decision to rely more on spin rather than pace proved detrimental.

Day three saw England dominate, showcasing their aggressive "Bazball" approach, which left Pakistani fans disheartened. The bowlers struggled to respond effectively, and the attacking fields set by Shan Masood raised questions about his captaincy, especially as he sought his first home Test victory.

As Pakistan prepared to bat again, trailing by a massive 823 runs, the situation looked grim. They needed to counterattack to salvage the match, but instead, they fell back into their typical defensive mindset, losing wickets at crucial moments. The big players who were expected to shine namely Babar and Rizwan once again fell short, failing to deliver when it mattered most.

Ultimately, what was supposed to be a batting-friendly home surface turned into a nightmare for Pakistan, and with England taking a 1-0 lead in the series at Multan, the need for introspection and a reassessment of strategies became all too clear.

The historic Test at Multan has come to an end. It was five days of spectacular batting display with highs and lows. This Test match has also broken some records. Here are some of the records broken during this Test match.

• Record Defeat: For the first time in Test cricket history, a team has lost by an innings after scoring over 500 runs in the first innings.
• Winless Streak: Pakistan has matched its longest winless streak of 11 matches, previously recorded from February 1969 to March 1975.
• England's Milestone: This marks England’s second innings win in Asia in 47 years.
• Impressive Comeback: England has now achieved 9 wins after conceding 500 runs in the first innings, with Australia close behind at 6 wins.
• Record Partnership: Joe Root and Harry Brook set a new record partnership of 454 runs, the highest for any wicket for England.
• Brook's Achievement: Harry Brook became the sixth player in history to score a triple century for England and recorded the second-fastest 300 in Test cricket.
• Historic Total: England posted a remarkable total of 823/7, making it the fourth-highest total in Test history and the only team to have three scores of 800 or more in Test cricket.