Pakistan registered a series victory over England in the opening session on day three of the third and final Test in Rawalpindi as they registered a nine-wicket victory.

Noman Ali (6-42) and Sajid Khan (4-69) again had a devastating effect in sharing all 10 wickets, with the latter finishing 10-for in the match as England – 24-3 from one to the other other day – were bowled out for 112. in their second innings.

The tourists’ scrappy approach to quality spin bowling was no more evident than when Ben Stokes (3) inexplicably fell with his arms towards a straight delivery.

With a paltry 36 runs to win, Pakistan bowled them out in no time, with captain Shan Masood (23 no) – under immense pressure to start the series – fittingly given the job in a stunning six-ball cameo, with which he achieved the most remarkable turnarounds. with a six.

The hosts lost the opening match in Multan by an innings and 47 runs, their sixth straight defeat under Shan Masood’s captaincy and an extension of a scoreless run at home dating back to February 2021 – including a 3-0 whitewash on the last visit of England at the end of 2022. .

Such an embarrassing loss on a desperately flat pitch led to a change of approach, with three changes made for the second Test, played on the same surface now used in Multan. Kamran Ghulam came in and scored a hundred on debut, but it was the introduction of Noman and Sajid that really changed the series.

With deliveries prepared to promote spin, the duo combined to ensure 39 of England’s 40 wickets fell in the final two Tests, sparking Pakistan’s sudden and sensational change in fortunes.

On the third and what turned out to be the final morning of the series decider in Rawalpindi, England had made a reasonably positive start, with Joe Root and Harry Brook – the same pair who combined for England’s record partnership of 454 in the first. Test – add 42 to their overnight score without a loss.

It took the tourists to pull within twelve runs, but then another sudden collapse of spin saw Brook, Stokes and Jamie Smith all depart before parity was achieved, with England six behind.

Brook (26) was given a quicker and flatter delivery fired by Noman, Stokes suffered a spectacular brain fade in the ensuing over from the left-arm spinner, while Smith (3) was bowled by Sajid as he looked for the kind of big hit. on the ground that served him so well during his first innings 89.

Root (33) almost saw England take the lead, but the match and the series were all but over when he became Noman’s fifth victim by sliding a slim lead to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.

Sajid kept quiet for most of the morning and then took his 10-for for the match when he bowled both Gus Atkinson (10) and Rehan Ahmed (7), while Noman ended the innings by stumping Jack Leach (10) .

Chasing just 36 runs to wrap up the series, England and Leach earned the consolation scalp of Saim Ayub for 8 as Pakistan otherwise quickly knocked off the required runs and Masood fired his side to victory in just 3.1 overs.

Stokes: We had challenges in the last two games

England captain Ben Stokes:

“It is of course disappointing that we lose games and series.

“We were presented with a number of challenges in the last two matches and we just couldn’t match them. All credit to Pakistan.

“The summer ended late for us at home, we had a few boys playing one-day series but look, the boys have trained incredibly hard and are always trying to get better. The pressure of Test match cricket can never compare to training.”

Hussain: Pakistan has exposed England

Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain:

“Different pitches and selectors (since the first Test) and Pakistan have found the kryptonite for Bazball.

“They have the highest quality spinners and they have players who play spin very well. It has exposed England when the ball turns.

“When it’s turning and gripping, England don’t play spin or bowl-spin as well as Pakistan.

“The discrepancy on the English side is a concern. It shouldn’t be so drastic that you play so well on flat pitches, but the moment it takes hold you can’t play like that anymore and then you’re lost. “

“And three of your top six seem to be lost at the moment. I’m talking about Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope or even Stokes in Asia… his last ten scores are very low in these conditions. He was our best player of spin .”

What’s next for England?

England’s white-ball squad heads to the West Indies for three one-day internationals and a five-match T20 series, with the ODIs starting in Antigua on Thursday, October 31.

Stokes’ Test team are next in action in New Zealand for a three-match tour starting in Christchurch on Thursday, November 28.

Pakistan vs England Test series

First test: Multan England won by one innings and 47 runs

Second test: Multan Pakistan won by 152 runs

Third test: Rawalpindi – Pakistan won by nine wickets