PCB chief hails Pakistan’s historic Test series win over England

New Delhi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi hailed the national team’s “brilliant performance” in their historic Test series win over England, commending the “outstanding skill” of spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali and the “resilience” shown by centurion Saud Shakeel. Pakistan handed England a humiliating nine-wicket defeat in the third and final Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, to clinch a historic Test series win 2-1 after February 2021, also their first Test series win over England since November 2015. Pakistan’s spinners put on a clinical performance in Rawalpindi, demolishing England for a mere 112 in their second innings on Saturday. Noman Ali 6-42, and Sajid Khan, who took 4-69, exposed England’s vulnerability on a turning track. The total marked England’s lowest-ever in Pakistan and underscored the dominance of the hosts’ spin attack. Pakistan chased down the modest target of 36 runs in just 19 balls, sealing a nine-wicket victory. “The national players won by playing the best game. Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali proved their skills by bowling brilliantly. Saud Shakeel scored a century and showed excellent batting. The team put up a brilliant performance and won the Test series,” said PCB President Mohsin Naqvi in a statement released on Saturday. “This win will boost the morale of the players. The players along with the nation were waiting for such a glorious victory. The new players justified their inclusion in the team with performances,” it further added. The hosts lost the first game by an innings and 47 runs in Multan. It was their sixth consecutive loss under Shan Masood’s leadership, and they had not won at home since February 2021, including a 0-3 crushing series loss against England during their previous visit in late 2022. The triumph, which is Masood’s first series win as captain, is particularly impressive given Pakistan’s decision to shake up their squad, benching Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Afridi, and instead bringing in Sajid and Noman. The strategic shift to dry turning pitches proved crucial in unleashing their spinners, and the sin duo dominated throughout the series, capturing 39 of the 40 English wickets. This decisive turnaround for Pakistan came after a rough patch of six consecutive Test losses and an 11-match winless streak at home. This was also the first time Pakistan’s pace bowlers did not bowl a single ball in a Test. –IANS