Mark Wood grabbe♏d four Pakistan wickets to hand England a series-clinching 26-run victory in the second Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium and take an unassail🅰able 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The fast bowler finished with 4-65 as Pakistan were bundled out for 328 in the post-lunch session on Day 4, having been given a challenginꦉg target of 355.
Wood, who missed the first Test in Rawalpindi due to a hip injury, turned the match in England’s favour with the wickets of well-settled Mohammad Nawaz (45) and Saud Shakeel (94) in the space of just 12 balls.
Pakistan went down to 291-7 at lunch, and after the break, Agha Salman (20 not out) and Abrar Ahmed (17) tried their best to pull off an unlikely win for their side and keep the series alive. But James Anderson dismissed Ahmed, Wood cleaned up Zahid Mahmood (0) and Ollie Robinson picked up the wicket of number eleven Mohammad Ali ⛦(0), sparking celebrations in the Three Lions camp.
“We had a look at the wicket and it was tricky against slow bowling, but as the game progressed the cracks opened up and our seamers came into the game,” said the winning captain Ben Stokes in the post-match presentation.
“The way in which Jimmy and Robbo bowled in the series and our spinners as well, they are going to deliver more often that not [referring to himself not bowling in the second Test].”
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Great Test match .. 🧜Pakistan did so well to get back into the game .. but Winning a series in Pakistan is a incredible achievement .. One of the hardest places to a win .. Engla💃nd are a brilliant test team to watch .. plus they once again got Selection spot on ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
8️⃣ wins from 9️⃣ ꦗTests under the coac🅰h and skipper 👏
We're on to something good.
🇵🇰 🏴
— England Cricket (@englandcricket)
If other cou𝐆ntries don’t follow England and their style of play, they are fools!
Another brilliant win in Pakistan and creating𝓰 history once again! 🏴
— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93)
Absorbing cricket all through, great contest, tense finish. What a series this has been! England continue to redefine the tenor and texture of the 5-d🐷ay format. Pakistan may have lost but put up gallant, admirable fight
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
They took ꦛquite a few risks, and the reward 🐼is a historic series win! Congratulations and 👏🏽👏🏽
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
Pakistan just can’t win against England, England have bee𓃲n crushing them in every format.
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta)
England knock Pakistan out of WTC 2021-23
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
is a very, very, very good captain.
— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381)
A SERIES WIN IN PAKISTAN.
This team is something el𓄧💛se🏴🏴��🏴🏴🏴
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy)
Another wonderful victory for 🙌
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket)
A valiant chase from Pakistan but this England team seem to just win games by shee💞r force of will. The first time England have won 2 consecutive tests in Pakistan. They take an unassailable 2-0 lead headed to the f🅺inal test in Karachi.
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz)
