Pakistan’s recent victory in the Rawalpindi Test marks a significant achievement in their cricketing history. Below are the key statistics from this match and series that highlight its importance.
Series Overview
– First Home Series Win: Pakistan’s first home series win since January 2021.
– Previous Series Results: Lost series to Australia (1-0), England (3-0), and Bangladesh (2-0); drew against New Zealand (0-0).
– First Win in Rawalpindi: This is Pakistan’s first Test win at Rawalpindi after three consecutive losses.
Comeback Stats
– Series Win After Losing First Test: Only the second time Pakistan has won a 3-match Test series after losing the first Test (previously against Zimbabwe in 1994/95).
– Result Within Three Days: First Test match on Pakistan soil to produce a result within three days since the 2002 Lahore Test against New Zealand.
– First Series Win Against England: First Test series win against England since November 2015, after two draws and two losses in subsequent series.
– Biggest Win Against England: The nine-wicket victory is Pakistan’s largest win by wickets against England in home Tests.
England’s Struggles
– Second Innings Collapse: England bowled out for just 112 runs in their second innings, the second lowest for them against Pakistan in Tests.
– Lowest Totals in Asia: This is England’s joint fifth-lowest total in the sub-continent and lowest on Pakistan soil.
| Total | Innings | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| 72 | 4 | Pakistan | Abu Dhabi | 2012 |
| 81 | 2 | Sri Lanka | Galle | 2007 |
| 81 | 3 | India | Ahmedabad | 2021 |
| 102 | 4 | India | Wankhede | 1981 |
| 112 | 1 | India | Ahmedabad | 2021 |
| 112 | 3 | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 2024 |
Spin Dominance
– Wickets by Spinners: 73 wickets fell to spinners in the series, the most in a Test series played in Pakistan.
– Key Performers: Sajid Khan (19 wickets) and Noman Ali (20 wickets) took 39 out of 40 wickets in the last two Tests.
– Joint Third-Most Spin Wickets: 43 wickets by Pakistan spinners in this series is joint third-most for them in a Test series.
Most Wickets by Spinners in a Series in Pakistan
| Spin Wickets | Team | Against | Season | Series Result |
| 73 | Pakistan | England | 2024/25 | PAK 2-1 |
| 71 | Pakistan | New Zealand | 1969/70 | NZ 1-0 |
| 68 | Pakistan | England | 2022/23 | ENG 3-0 |
| 60 | Pakistan | England | 1987/88 | PAK 1-0 |
Bowling Records
– No Pace Bowled: First time Pakistan’s pace bowlers did not bowl a single ball in a Test match; only the second instance in Test history.
– Spinners Opening Bowling: Sajid Khan and Noman Ali opened the bowling, the first time two spinners bowled the first two overs in Pakistan.
– First Innings Pace Record: England’s first innings marked only the second time in Test history that no pace was bowled in a first innings.
Notable Bowling Figures
– Sajid Khan: 6/128 in the first innings; joint second-best match bowling figure by a Pakistan bowler at Rawalpindi.
– Noman Ali: 6/69 in the second innings; best innings bowling figure by a spin bowler at Rawalpindi.
– All Wickets by Spinners: All 20 wickets in this match taken by Pakistan spinners, fourth occurrence of this in Test history.
Batting Highlights
– Shan Masood’s Strike Rate: 23 runs off 6 balls at a strike rate of 383.33; first instance of a player scoring at 350+ strike rate facing a minimum of 6 balls in a Test innings.
– Saud Shakeel’s Innings: Scored 134 runs with only 5 boundaries, marking the second-lowest percentage of boundaries (14.93%) by a Pakistan player in a Test inning with 100+ runs.
Unique Achievements
– Sajid Khan’s Dual Feat: Only the third player in Test history to take 10 wickets and hit 4 sixes in the same Test match.
– Four Sixes by a Number 10: Joint-most sixes by a Pakistan number 10 batter in a Test inning, matching Mushtaq Ahmed.
This victory not only signifies a remarkable comeback for Pakistan but also sets several records that highlight the effectiveness of their spin attack and the challenges faced by England in these conditions.
Related
