Babar Azam failed to fire for Pakistan in Multan Test© AFP
Despite scoring 556 runs in the first innings of the Multan Test, the Pakistan cricket team went on to lose by an innings and 47 runs. In reply to Pakistan's 556-run total in the first innings, England put a whopping total of 823/7 on the board before declaring the innings. In reply, Pakistan could only score 220 runs in the second innings, hence losing the Test in a 'record-breaking' fashion. Courtesy of the result, Pakistan went into history books for the wrong reasons, becoming the first team in the history of the game to lose a Test by an innings after scoring over 500 runs in the first innings.
In the 147-year-long history of Test cricket, no team has suffered a defeat of the magnitude of Pakistan, all thanks to a double hundred from Joe Root and a triple century from Harry Brook.
Pakistan did well in scoring over 500 runs in the first innings, with Abdullah Shafique, skipper Shan Masood, and Agha Salman scoring centuries. Even Saud Shakeel did well in his 84-run knock. But, Pakistan's bowling unit looked toothless against England's batting attack, with the visitors' loss of wicket coming more through fatigue and less through the host bowlers' skillset.
In the second innings, Pakistan's batting unit barely managed to withstand England's bowling attack, with Agha Salman's 63 being the highest score. Aamer Jamal remained not out on 55 runs as England wrapped up the win by claiming 9 of Pakistan's 10 wickets.
Abrar Ahmed couldn't bat in the second innings as he was admitted to the hospital when the match concluded.
Though there remain many reasons behind Pakistan's dismal performance against England, arguably the biggest of all if their inability to click as a unit. Clear gameplans seem to be missing from skipper Shan Masood's captaincy, with star players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, etc. are yet to find their best form.
After losing the Test series 0-2 at home against Bangladesh, Pakistan were said to have experienced a wake-up call. But, it seems like the team, once a giant in Asian conditions, is still sleeping.