Like a Phoenix from the Ashes, Pakistan Returns with Historic Series Win

Ariha Fatimah|

Pakistan finally broke their home-series drought, defeating England and clinching their first Test series victory on home soil since 2021. This series win carries layers of symbolism and redemption, set against the backdrop of Rawalpindi’s infamous pitches— the place that gave Bazball the surface to thrive on, the batting-heavy strategy that turned Test cricket on its head since its inception in 2022. The same venue that ignited the Bazball revolution has now witnessed its unraveling, as Pakistan’s spinners unleashed a masterclass on Rawalpindi’s once-flat, now-biting surface.

Pakistan’s notorious “motorway” pitches have long been mocked for their placid nature, often considered a batter’s paradise where bowlers were left to the mercy of unyielding surfaces. The pitches where batters cut through bowlers like a hot knife through butter. But in a twist of fate, it also became the place where Pakistan wrapped a test within 3 days and sealed a home series victory. Who would’ve thought home advantage is a real thing!

Pakistan’s journey to this victory, however, was not without drama or despair. Following a disastrous home series whitewash against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, Pakistan spiraled into a historic sixth consecutive home series loss.

The thing with Pakistan cricket is, everytime you think Pakistan has hit rock bottom, they dig deeper and find a rockier bottom. The first Test of this series in Multan felt like that rockier bottom. Pakistan became the first team in history to lose by an innings after posting 500+ in the first innings. Joe Root and Harry Brook broke records, and Brook’s average in Pakistan soared to 100. Harry Brook made a triple century in the test, in the post match presser he said he wants to “roll up the pitch and take it home with him”. Fans feared that each new low was only another prelude to further disappointment.

But as the phoenix burns and falls then rises from those ashes, this was the time for fate to throw Pakistan a lifeline to rise from ashes. After losing the first test, all hell broke loose in PCB and a chaos erupted when a new selection committee was announced. Star players Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah were released from the squad, sparking discourse regarding Pakistan’s approach clarity, planning and decision-making. The spin duo Sajid-Noman entered with a bang, little did anyone know they are about to flip the narrative. Another bold decision from the management came to reuse the first test’s pitches and make them more spin-friendly reflecting their trust on the spinners.

The second Test saw England’s captain Ben Stokes return from injury, adding pressure to Pakistan. Kamran Ghulam, filling the shoes of Babar Azam, rose to the occasion, scoring a sensational debut century. Pakistan posted a strong first innings score, and England replied with 291, trailing Pakistan but with plenty of fight. The second innings saw Pakistan stabilize despite early wickets, with Salman Ali Agha extending Pakistan’s lead thanks to a crucial 63, pushing the target to a formidable 297. England’s chase of 297 would have been their highest in Asia, and they crumbled under the weight of history and Pakistan’s spinners.

Pakistan celebrated an overwhelming victory of 152 runs, marking Shan Masood’s first series win as captain. “This was a very important win for Pakistan cricket,” he declared post-match. “There’s finally relief.”. The spin strategy of Sajid and Noman worked wonders, sharing all 20 English wickets, an extraordinary feat achieved only seven times in Test history.

The third and final Test—played on Rawalpindi’s infamous flat pitch—would be the series decider. Industrial fans and maintenance efforts turned the flat track into a turner within days. England struggled against Sajid and Noman again, collapsing for 267. Pakistan replied with a 77-run lead after top order collapse, powered by Saud Shakeel’s career defining century.

In England’s second innings, Sajid and Noman struck early, dismissing them for just 112 and leaving Pakistan a chase of only 36. Each run brought the crowd closer to the long-awaited victory, and it was captain Shan Masood who led the charge, smashing 23 off six balls to seal the win. Pakistan’s wait was finally over—a victory at home against the very team that had whitewashed them the last time they met.

In the post-match interview, Shan praised Sajid Khan, “It’s about characters people can trust, who will bleed for you,” he said of Sajid, whose blood-stained jersey symbolized the grit and sacrifice that led Pakistan to this glorious moment and got him the well deserved player of the series award.