Cricket is weird. One day you’re watching a team pile up 556 runs and feeling like the match is a guaranteed draw at worst. Then, somehow, they lose by an innings. That’s exactly what happened in the Multan leg of the England vs Pakistan Test series in late 2024, and honestly, it’s the perfect metaphor for this entire rivalry. It’s chaotic. It’s illogical. It’s arguably the most underrated clash in world cricket.
While everyone obsesses over the Ashes or India vs Pakistan, the England-Pakistan red-ball history is where the real drama hides. We’re talking about a history that includes everything from masked "kidnappings" of umpires in the 50s to the world-first forfeiture of a match at The Oval in 2006.
The Multan Miracle (or Meltdown)
Let’s talk about that first Test in Multan in October 2024. Pakistan batted first and stayed out there forever. Shan Masood hammered 151. Salman Ali Agha looked untouchable. When they finally got bowled out for 556, the stats guys were already checking the record books for "highest scores in a losing cause." Little did they know.
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England didn't just respond; they dismantled the concept of defensive batting. Harry Brook smashed a triple century—317 off 322 balls, which is just video-game numbers. Joe Root, meanwhile, became England’s highest-ever Test run-scorer during his 262. They declared at 823/7.
Think about that.
They scored over 800 runs in 150 overs. That’s a run rate of nearly 5.5 per over in a Test match. Pakistan crumbled for 220 in their second go, and suddenly, England had won by an innings after conceding 550+. It was the first time in the history of the sport that a team lost by an innings after scoring over 500 in the first knock.
Why the Narrative Shifted
But then, Pakistan did something they rarely get credit for: they adapted. Fast.
Most teams would have been mentally broken. Instead, the PCB selection committee—which has more plot twists than a prestige HBO drama—decided to drop Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah. Bold move? No, it was basically a revolution.
They brought in the veterans. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan. Two guys who look like they’ve seen it all and probably have.
England vs Pakistan Test matches are usually decided by who blinks first under pressure, and in the second and third Tests, England’s "Bazball" approach hit a brick wall made of spinning dust. Pakistan used the same pitch for the second Test in Multan. It was dry, cracked, and basically a spinner's fever dream.
Sajid Khan and Noman Ali took all 20 wickets in that second Test. All 20. That hasn't happened since 1972. England’s batters, who looked like gods a week earlier, were suddenly sweeping at ghosts.
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The Identity Crisis of "Bazball" in Asia
There is a common misconception that England’s aggressive style works everywhere. It doesn't. Or rather, it works until the pitch stops behaving. In the third Test at Rawalpindi, the trend continued. England got bundled out for 112 in their second innings.
The match was over in three days.
This brings us to a nuance most fans miss: the "home advantage" in Pakistan is no longer about pace. Historically, you think of Wasim, Waqar, and Shoaib Akhtar. But modern Pakistan is winning on "mummy tracks" that they’ve turned into dustbowls through sheer force of will (and maybe some industrial fans).
A History of Not Getting Along
If you want to understand the spice in a England vs Pakistan Test, you have to look at the baggage. This isn't a "friendly" rivalry.
- The 1956 "Prank": Donald Carr and some teammates literally kidnapped umpire Idris Baig and doused him in water because they were annoyed with his decisions. It sounds like a frat prank, but it almost caused a diplomatic incident.
- The 1987 Shakoor Rana Incident: Mike Gatting and umpire Shakoor Rana screaming at each other on national TV. The game was halted for a day. It was ugly, raw, and deeply personal.
- The 2006 Forfeiture: Darrell Hair accused Pakistan of ball tampering. Inzamam-ul-Haq refused to lead his team out after tea. The umpires took the bails off, and England won by default. To this day, fans still argue about whether the ball was actually tampered with.
Breaking Down the 2024 Stats
If you’re looking for the "why" behind Pakistan’s 2-1 series comeback, the numbers tell a story of two different sports being played.
- Harry Brook (ENG): 373 runs. He’s a freak in these conditions. He averages over 100 in Pakistan.
- Noman Ali (PAK): 20 wickets in just two matches. He’s 38 years old.
- Sajid Khan (PAK): 19 wickets. He became a national hero for his "kabaddi" style celebration and his ability to make the ball talk on dead decks.
England’s spinners, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir, weren't bad. Leach took 16 wickets. But they lacked the "bite" that the Pakistani veterans found. In Rawalpindi, for the first time since 1882, no seamers were used in the opening innings of a Test. That is a staggering statistic that shows how much the game has changed.
The Real Lesson of the Series
What can we actually learn from the latest England vs Pakistan Test saga?
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Adaptability is worth more than a philosophy. England arrived with a "one way to play" mindset. It worked for 823 runs, but it failed when the pitch turned into a sandbox. Pakistan, on the other hand, showed a ruthless willingness to bin their superstars and play "ugly" cricket to win.
Actionable Insights for Following Future Series:
- Watch the Pitch Reports: In Pakistan, the pitch isn't just a surface; it’s a character. If you see the groundstaff bringing out industrial heaters or fans, expect the spinners to dominate from session one.
- Follow the Selection Drama: Pakistan’s squad stability is non-existent. A "rested" player is often a dropped player. This unpredictability is actually their strength; it makes it impossible for opposition analysts to prepare.
- Don't Judge a Match by the First Innings: As we saw in Multan, a 500+ score in the first innings is no longer a safety net in the modern era of high-speed scoring.
- Value the Veterans: In subcontinental conditions, experience (like Noman Ali's) trumps raw pace or youth. Look for the older "craftsmen" over the 90mph fireballs.
The rivalry is far from over. With the World Test Championship points on the line, every session matters. England will eventually head back, and Pakistan will eventually tour the swinging conditions of the UK. When they do, expect more records to break and more tempers to flare. That’s just how this fixture works.