Pakistan beat England in third Test to seal series victory – as it happened

Simon’s full and finished report is up:

Brendon McCullum is having an honest chat with Ian Ward and a still bristling Nasser Hussain on Sky. It’s worth seeking out to watch in full.

Sajid Khan is Player of the Series with his 19 wickets at 21.10:

Off the field I’m a funny guy and you should be that inside as well to keep spirits up. On this pitch if you took time to play, like Saud did, there wasn’t that much in it. You had to vary pace, hit the right areas here.

Nomi bhai (Noman Ali) is one of the most experienced players on the Pakistan circuit, we should be sharing this Man of the Series award”

England captain Ben Stokes:

It’s disappointing. We got thrown some challenges over these last two games and weren’t able to stand up to them. All credit to Pakistan. You get thrown challenges all over the world… in a couple of weeks we go to New Zealand and will have to try to match them as well.

You do what you’ve got to do. We had guys playing a one-day series at home and then coming out here. The lads trained hard but when you get out in the middle it can be completely different. Whether you do well or not, you should always try to take the positives. There have been some unbelievable individual performances throughout the series. A lot to take out. Rehan and Bash coming to play Test cricket here, we know how much that means to their families. Two incredibly talented cricketers, the only way is up.”

Pakistan captain Shan Masood speaks:

Like London buses (Test victories) come together! The first win came after a long time and it was backed up by a series win. It’s special. For everyone, to stand up and give their best, it means a lot. It’s about character. To be here and standing as the wining team, it’s the most special thing for us.

There are always going to be individual performances – Saud’s was one of the best innings I’ve seen. But it’s small efforts combined with the big efforts that count. Our ground fielding was outstanding in this match. Little things you do turn into big things. There have been so many characters in this series and everyone has chipped in. We haven’t played in these conditions ourselves. This was challenging from day one. The onus is on us now to keep taking 20 wickets.

Bowlers win you matches but our first-innings batting in 2024 has been superb. We have posted scored that set games up and now we’re taking 20 wickets we’re getting results as well. It’s heartening to have good players come in and people have grown in stature. It’s about the whole team. We’d like to dedicate this to the people of Pakistan, who’ve been through a lot. Hopefully this will put a smile on people’s faces.”

I’ll bring you some quotes from the post match presentation in a second.

Cricket never stops though and Brian Withington knows it:

“Congratulations to Pakistan who have turned a crisis into a dramatic drubbing of England over the last two tests. I’m not sure Jason Gillespie thinks it’s necessarily a blueprint for the future, but it’s certainly livened up the present.

Can I recommend all cricket fans now get themselves in front of the India chase against NZ, where the former are going at more than 6 an over in pursuit of 350 odd, urged on by a crowd that is bubbling with excitement at the thrill of the chase.”

India need 225 runs with six wickets remaining. Virat Kohli and Washington Sundar are in the middle.

Simon Burnton’s report is hot and fresh out the stadium:

A series that started with England breaking records ended with England simply broken. Where they needed to fight they faltered, where the situation demanded strength they surrendered as Pakistan raced to a nine-wicket win, and 2-1 series success in Rawalpindi”

England’s post mortem will rumble on but Pakistan are revelling in the moment. A week is a long time in Test cricket.

Nasser Hussain describes spin as Bazball’s Kryptonite and is visibly ticking about the manner of the defeat. Taking nothing away from Pakistan at all, I think he is more upset by way England folded, the old fighter in him finds it hard to stomach such a stark capitulation, especially with the talent England have. Question of temperament, ticker and talent will no doubt swirl after this.

A smattering of immediate reactions:

OBO don Rob Smyth pops up with a telling stat:

Before Joe Root was out in the first innings in Multan England had scored 1034 for 9 in the series. After that, 603 for 38.

and another:

England have never lost a three-Test series after going 1-0 up. They’ve lost longer series, most recently in India this year, but not three.

Pakistan win the series 2-1!

3rd over: Pakistan 31-1 (Shafique 5, Masood 17) Shan Masood on the charge! The Pakistan skipper comes to the crease and smashes four fours in a row off Leach! One more hit will do it…

WICKET! Saim Ayub lbw b Leach 8 (Pakistan 14-1)

2nd over: Pakistan 14-0 (Ayub 8, Shafique 5) Shoaib Bashir from t’other end. England go upstairs to see if Abdullah Shafique got a tickle to Jamie Smith. Flat line. Nowt doing.

1st over: Pakistan 10-0 (Ayub 8, Shafique 1) Leach opens the bowling and so begin the last rites. Saim Ayub is in a hurry, two sweeps sent to the fence in succession.

Pakistan’s openers are out in the middle.

“Masterclass of spin bowling across the two Tests from Sajid and Noman. Big plaudits though to the glovework of Rizwan . Well done Pakistan. What a turn around.” You are not wrong John Jones.

“A devastating turnaround” Says Michael Atherton on the tv commentary.

Noman Ali finishes with 20 wickets at 13.85

Sajid Khan with 19 wickets at 21.10

“Morning James”

It is, Felix Wood.

“As dispiriting as this is, I think the mammoth effort expended by England in the first Test should be taken into account. For Root and Brook the physical impact of their efforts must have been huge and that doesn’t go away after a few days. Pakistan’s rotation wasn’t only good for the mindset reset, it also brought in significant freshness.

England’s problem has been that the players who didn’t score big in that test haven’t been able to take their turn stepping up. Duckett’s turbocharged style hides the fact he’s a pretty solid opener, runs wise, and I’ve accepted the feast or famine argument about Crawley, but 3 is a big problem. I’d worry about Smith going there and keeping wicket, Lawrence has gone backwards…what’s the answer broseph?”

Always nice to be called broseph before 8am Felix. I think Root should bat three. He doesn’t want to but it seems the only answer at the minute. I think the manner of this defeat will be what sticks in the craw for a lot of England fans. Stokes and co don’t do draws but there’s something to be said about fighting to the last, digging in and showing some spirit. That’s a huge part of the game and one that this side don’t want to seem to particularly entertain.

I love the smell of wickets in the morning

England all out for 112. Pakistan need 36 runs to win the series 2-1

37th over: England 109-9 (Leach 8, Bashir 3) England’s innings nearly all over as Bashir is given lbw but the decision is overturned on DRS. It hit young Shoaib outside the line. On we go…

36th over: England 109-9 (Leach 8, Bashir 3) England lead by 32 runs with one wicket left. Oh ye of little faith.

35th over: England 107-9 (Leach 8, Bashir 0) Shoaib Bashir is England’s last man.

“Just watched Jethro Tull here in Naples.” Writes Colum Fordham. “Nice to see Sajid Khan’s celebration of a wicket by balancing on one leg resembles Ian Anderson’s classic pose. They’re both exhuberant performers. Sajid has been superb in these two tests, turning the series around. As has his spin twin Noman Ali. England currently in Noman’s land.”

WICKET! Rehan Ahmed b Sajid Khan 7 (England on the brink)

34th over: England 106-8 (Rehan Ahmed 7, Leach 8) “If England can somehow get a lead of around 100 you just never know I suppose” Simon McMahon sees sense mid email by the looks of it.

33rd over: England 104-7 (Rehan Ahmed 6, Leach 7) Here comes Jack Leach, he’s going to have some fun by the looks of it. Reverse-sweeping Sajid with aplomb for four and then driving handsomely through the covers for three more. England do make 100, I doubt they’ll make lunch…

“There are many things I miss about the old country” writes Phil Withall. “Proper pubs, football, family. Right now, I miss the fact that I can’t go back to bed and ignore the cricket. I shall just have to go to the local unpub like pub and hope they aren’t showing it…”

A good ol’ fashioned England batting collapse Phil, if you weren’t homesick before…

WICKET! Gus Atkinson b Sajid Khan 10 (England 97-8)

32nd over: England 97-7 (Atkinson 10, Rehan Ahmed 6) An Atkinson single.

31st over: England 96-7 (Atkinson 9, Rehan Ahmed 6) England inch towards a hundred and lead by 19 runs. Oh, but they’ve lost seven wickets. Apologies if these are the first words you are reading as an England fan waking up with hope in your heart this Saturday morning.

30th over: England 92-7 (Atkinson 9, Rehan Ahmed 2) Rehan takes a single down to long on. Root’s wicket was Noman’s fifth of the innings by the way. What an impact he and Sajid Khan have had on this series. Pakistan have found a way to win it after going 1-0 down and conceding 800 runs in an innings in the first game at Multan.