"Noman, Sajid looked like seasoned campaigners": Pakistan captain lauds spin duo after England win

Multan [Pakistan], October 18 (ANI): Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood named the experienced spin duo of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan as the key players in their 152-run victory in the second Test against England. 

Pakistan's wait to taste success on its home turf for the first time since 2021 finally ended in Multan. While there were individual efforts that dictated the run of play, including Saim Ayub's 77 and Kamran Ghulam's ton, it was the spin duo which played the lead role. 

Noman and Sajid combined to take all 20 wickets of England and stamped their authority on the back of their experience.  

"Noman and Sajid coming in, it's never easy, and they looked like two seasoned campaigners. In the second innings, we didn't even need a third bowler and that speaks volumes for them. It's a collective effort, and what matters in team sport is chipping those 20-30 runs, and putting those efforts in the field. Zahid didn't bowl much, but he was running around, he was there for the team, same with Jamal, who scored some vital runs. Noman and Sajid were the front-runners, and everyone chipped in," Masood said in the post-match presentation. 

Apart from the short cameos from new faces in the Pakistan team, Salman Ali Agha has emerged as a promising player. He continued to strive hard after his impressive outing in the first Test and followed it up in style. 

In the second Test, Agha added a vital 63 runs on the board in the second innings to propel Pakistan to a competitive 221-run total. 

"Agha is probably one of my favourite players, he's a team player. For him to play in those pressure situations and get something for the team, that's special. There have been some front-runners, but there have also been some really nice small contributions. Even Saim Ayub played very maturely. Everything added up and that's what a team effort is," Masood added. 

Along with Pakistan, signs of relief also became visible on Masood's face as his six-match winless steak as captain ended on a bright note. 

With the monkey off his back, Masood added, "The first one is always special, it has come after some hard times. A lot has happened over the last week. For everyone to work together, to come up with a strategy to pick 20 wickets and make it happen, that's the most satisfying thing. You have to applaud the group." 

Pakistan have levelled the series at 1-1, taking the series decider to Rawalpindi, beginning on October 24. (ANI)