Multan : In a remarkable display of cricket, England clinched a resounding victory over Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in Multan on Friday. After a stellar performance that earned him the player of the match award, England's Harry Brook shared his thoughts on the challenges faced during the Test match.
Brook emphasized the difficulties of batting in the intense heat, saying, "Enjoyed it a lot. It was tough out there in the heat. We were just batting for as long as possible, to be honest."
During a crucial lunch break, the team discussed their strategy for the second half of the day.
"We had a chat at lunchtime, knew we were going to be batting out there for a little period after lunch. Just have to try and enjoy batting, build a partnership, and keep trying to rotate strike--put the bowlers under pressure," he explained in the post-match presentation.
Brook also highlighted the importance of hydration and nutrition in maintaining energy levels. "I was taking as much fluid on board as possible, and the energy gels, and eating as well. It was tough, but that was a good surface to cash in on. Hopefully, many more to come," he added.
Looking ahead, Brook noted that the pressure on the Pakistani team is only going to increase following their defeat. He pointed out that the squad announced was only for the first Test, and it will be interesting to see how they approach the next two matches.
"Their main bowlers are down on pace, while Babar is having a horrendous run as he's gone without a fifty in 18 innings. Abrar, the lone spinner, also went wicketless and is now unwell," he remarked.
Analyzing the conditions, Brook acknowledged that the pitch only offered assistance when the ball was new. "The only time that the pitch offered something was when the ball was hard and new, and they made the most of that phase, reducing Pakistan to 82/6 as the likes of Carse and Atkinson extracted a bit of variable movement from the cracks," he said.
He added that the morning play further reinforced the difficulties faced by the bowlers as the ball softened. "Whatever play we had this morning only reinforced how difficult it was for the bowlers once the ball got softer. Pakistan would be kicking themselves for some of the shots they played yesterday. If only they had made a better fist of it in the first 20-25 overs, the draw would still have been there for the taking," Brook concluded.
Coming to the match, Pakistan etched an unwanted record in Test history, becoming the only team to lose by an innings after scoring 500 in their first innings. England wrapped up the game inside the morning session on day five, marking their second innings victory in Asia.
By the end of day four, Pakistan was struggling at 152/6. Despite valiant efforts from Salman Agha, who scored 63, and Aamer Jamal, who remained unbeaten on 55, Pakistan could not save the Test. The duo batted through most of the fifth day but ultimately fell short.
Salman Agha, who had scored a brisk century in the first innings, showed resilience under pressure. He managed a fifty in the second innings, demonstrating his ability to adapt to different match situations. On the other end, Jamal bravely faced Brydon Carse's short-ball barrage, even taking a blow to the helmet but continued to fight, reaching his second Test fifty.
The seventh-wicket partnership between Salman and Jamal added 109 runs, giving Pakistan a glimmer of hope. However, Leach broke through, trapping Salman with his fourth ball. Shaheen Afridi (10), the next man in, briefly counterattacked but was caught and bowled by Leach.
After Salman's dismissal, Naseem Shah (6) was stumped by Jamie Smith off Leach's delivery, and with Abrar Ahmed unable to bat, Pakistan was all out for 220. Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse each took two wickets, while Chris Woakes managed one.
England's first innings score of 823/7 declared proved insurmountable for Pakistan.Pakistan's captain, Shan Masood, faced criticism as his team suffered yet another defeat, marking his sixth consecutive loss as captain. This series of losses includes three in Australia, a home defeat by Bangladesh, and now, a defeat against England.
Masood surpassed Javed Burki's record of three consecutive defeats, making it a challenging period for Pakistan under his leadership.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood still could not find his first win under his belt, so far he has led Pakistan in six Tests, where they have lost all the games.
Under his captaincy, they have lost all the three matches in Australia, after that they were stunned by Bangladesh at home. Now, a defeat against England.England's comprehensive win in Multan, spearheaded by Leach's exceptional bowling, underscores their dominance and Pakistan's ongoing struggles.