Pakistan were humiliated in the first Test and pulverized by the English batters as they conceded 823-7. It was their sixth consecutive Test defeat, extending a scoreless home run to 11 games.

The reaction was extreme. An extensive selection committee dropped superstar batsman Babar Azam and pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah. The decision to recycle the field from the first test was unusual but not illegal. By doing that and equipping the team with three specialist spinners, so much depended on a toss for Pakistan to win.

That doesn’t mean this match was decided with a flip of a coin. Kamran Ghulam filled Babar’s shoes with a fine debut hundred, while the charismatic Sajid and the accurate Noman were ruthless in their probing of the England batsmen.

Given the circumstances, this is a defeat that England should be able to shake off quite easily.

Still, they had their moments. They reached 211-2 in response to Pakistan’s 366 thanks to a fine century from Ben Duckett. Parity in the first innings would have given them a strong chance, so to then be bowled out for 291 is disappointing on any pitch.

Then, on the third afternoon, they had the chance to limit their eventual chase, only for wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and Joe Root to put past easy chances to Salman Agha in the same Brydon Carse. Salman was in single figures at the time and at 63 the result was beyond doubt.

The pitch used was made possible by the first two Tests being played at the same venue, so the move to Rawalpindi offers at least an element of newness.

But given this result, England should probably prepare for more spin and have a week to think about their strategy.