Everything felt normal until it didn't. When England landed in Multan for their most recent tour, the cricket world expected the usual grind of subcontinental attritional play. Instead, we got a chaotic, record-breaking fever dream that redefined what a Pakistan vs England Test could actually be.
Cricket is changing. Fast.
The old days of blocking for a draw on a dusty pitch in Karachi are basically dead. You can thank "Bazball" for that, but you can also blame the existential crisis currently gripping Pakistani cricket. It's a clash of philosophies. On one side, you have an England team that treats Test cricket like a high-stakes T20 match. On the other, a Pakistan side that seems to be reinventing its entire identity every third session. It’s messy. It’s brilliant. Honestly, it’s the most entertaining thing in the sport right now.
The Road to 800: When Pakistan vs England Test Matches Broke the Scoreboard
Let's talk about that Multan Test because it was absurd. Pakistan put up 556 runs in their first innings. Usually, you do that and you've basically guaranteed you won't lose. You're sitting pretty. But England, led by Harry Brook and Joe Root, didn't just chase it; they demoralized the entire concept of bowling.
England declared at 823 for 7. Read that again.
Harry Brook’s 317 wasn't just a long innings; it was a statement of intent that felt almost cruel. Joe Root, meanwhile, became England’s leading run-scorer of all time during that same match, overtaking Alastair Cook. This is why the Pakistan vs England Test rivalry has become essential viewing. It’s where statistical anomalies happen. It’s where the record books go to die.
Pakistan’s response to being on the receiving end of a historic thrashing was, in true fashion, completely unpredictable. They didn't just double down on their failures; they panicked in the best way possible. They dropped Babar Azam. They dropped Shaheen Afridi. They dropped Naseem Shah.
It was a "burn it all down" moment.
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The Great Spin Gamble and the Rallied Rebound
After the Multan disaster, Pakistan decided to play "extreme" cricket. They stayed on the same pitch for the second Test. They used giant fans to dry it out. They picked three specialist spinners—Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood—and basically told England, "Good luck sweeping this."
It worked.
Sajid Khan, with his intense stare and celebratory thigh-slap, became an overnight cult hero. He and Noman Ali took all 20 wickets between them in that second Test. It was the first time since 1972 that two bowlers had shared all 20 wickets in a match. This is the nuance people miss about the Pakistan vs England Test dynamic. England brings the fire, but Pakistan brings the alchemy. They can turn a dead pitch into a spinning minefield through sheer force of will (and a few industrial-sized fans).
The tactical shift was fascinating. England’s aggressive sweep-shot-first mentality ran head-first into a wall of classic, nagging finger spin. Ben Stokes, returning from injury, looked out of sorts. The aggression that worked on a flat deck suddenly looked like reckless gambling on a surface that was spitting and jumping.
Why the Pitches are the Real Main Character
You can't discuss a Pakistan vs England Test without talking about the dirt. The 22 yards in the middle of the ground have become more controversial than the selection of the players. In 2022, the Rawalpindi pitch was so flat it was basically a highway, earning a "below average" rating from the ICC.
Then came the "re-used" pitch strategy.
By playing the second Multan Test on the exact same strip as the first, Pakistan found a way to neutralize England’s pace advantage. It was a genius move born out of desperation. If you can't beat them with talent, beat them with geography. The English media called it "doctoring." The locals called it "home advantage."
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In reality, it’s just survival.
England’s high-octane style requires a certain level of consistency in the bounce. When you take that away, Bazball starts to stutter. It turns into a battle of nerves rather than a battle of bat speed. Watching Rehan Ahmed—England’s own leg-spin prodigy—try to match the guile of Noman Ali in those conditions showed the massive gap in experience when it comes to "reading" the soil.
The Babar Azam Conundrum
We have to address the elephant in the dressing room. Babar Azam’s exclusion during the 2024 series was a seismic event in world cricket. Imagine India dropping Kohli or England dropping Root. It felt impossible.
But the Pakistan vs England Test series has a way of exposing cracks. Babar hadn't scored a fifty in eighteen innings. The pressure from the fans, the PCB, and the relentless English pressure was too much. The "new" Pakistan team, led by Shan Masood, proved that they could win without their superstar.
Whether that's a long-term solution or a short-term spark is still up for debate. But it changed the narrative. It proved that in Pakistan, no one is bigger than the result. The victory in Rawalpindi to clinch the 2-1 series win was a massive middle finger to the critics who said Pakistan was a spent force in red-ball cricket.
Tactical Breakdown: How to Actually Win This Matchup
If you're looking at how these two teams match up in the future, it comes down to three specific areas.
First, the powerplay of the first 20 overs. England will try to score at 5 or 6 runs an over. If Pakistan’s bowlers lose their discipline here, the game is over by lunch on Day 1. Pakistan has to bowl "dry." They have to be boring.
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Second, the fitness of the fast bowlers. Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson provide a level of pace that Pakistan’s current domestic circuit struggles to replicate. However, if the pitches are curated to turn from Day 1, that pace becomes a liability because of the toll it takes on the body for little reward.
Third, the psychological warfare. England plays with a "nothing to lose" attitude. Pakistan plays like they have everything to lose—their spots, their reputation, their fans' respect. When Pakistan embraces the chaos, they win. When they try to play "proper" cricket against England, they usually get steamrolled.
What's Next for the Rivalry?
The next time these two face off, expect more of the same madness. England isn't going to stop attacking. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have tied their legacy to this style. Pakistan, meanwhile, has found a blueprint: spin, spin, and more spin.
The rivalry has moved away from the traditional "Big Three" matches (India/Australia/England) and created its own category. It’s the "Unpredictable Derby."
To truly understand the trajectory of a Pakistan vs England Test, you have to look at the domestic form of the Pakistani spinners. Guys like Mehran Mumtaz are the future. On the England side, keep an eye on how they develop their own spin depth. They can't rely on Jack Leach forever if they want to win consistently in the East.
Practical Steps for Following the Next Series:
- Check the Pitch Report 48 hours early: The toss in a Pakistan vs England match is 50% of the result. If it’s a "dry" surface, bet on the spinners.
- Watch the first 10 overs of the second innings: This is where England usually tries to "break" the game. If Pakistan survives this window without losing more than one wicket, the game deepens.
- Follow the local journalists: In Pakistan, the news breaks on Twitter (X) via local reporters long before the official PCB press releases. This is where you find out about the "secret" pitch preparations.
- Ignore the "Rankings": When these two play, the ICC rankings mean nothing. A 9th-ranked Pakistan can destroy a 2nd-ranked England if the conditions are right.
The beauty of this matchup is that it’s never actually over until the final wicket falls. It’s loud, it’s controversial, and it’s exactly what Test cricket needs to stay relevant in an age of franchise leagues. Just don't expect it to be "gentlemanly." Expect a scrap.