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October 14, 2024
Four of the five England bowlers, particularly their entire fast bowling attack, had never played a first-class match in Pakistan before the recently concluded first Multan Test. Despite the absence of Ben Stokes, England managed to take all 20 wickets of the Pakistan team, achieving a remarkable victory on the final morning, even on a flat and unresponsive pitch.
The significance of this win was evident as several records were rewritten. However, the one that will sting Pakistan the most is that they became the first team in history to suffer an innings defeat after scoring over 500 runs in their first innings. While England’s bowlers took 20 wickets for 756 runs across 203.5 overs, Pakistan’s bowling attack, featuring their key bowlers Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Aamir Jamal, and Abrar Ahmed, could only dismiss seven England batsmen for a staggering 823 runs.
As Pakistan slumped to their sixth straight defeat under Shan Masood, the captain said that his bowlers will need to learn from England for their fortunes to overturn. “Harsh reality is that England found a way after being under sun for two days and being 556 runs behind and we did not,” he said after the loss. “They picked 10 wickets to give themselves a chance to bat and bat big.
“When they came back with the ball they had a plan and they had a window of opportunity with the new ball and the cracks [on the pitch] open. The harsh reality is that no matter what the pitch is, the quality sides will find a way and learning for us is to find a way when we play Test cricket.”
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Pakistan’s score of 220 in their second innings was their highest in the third or fourth innings of a Test match this year. On a pitch where England had dominated Pakistan’s bowlers for 150 overs, scoring at a rate of around six runs per over and even exceeding seven in the second session of day four, Pakistan lost their top wickets quickly, falling to 73 runs. They began the final day with only four wickets remaining, with Salman Ali Agha and Jamal both scoring half-centuries.
However, Abrar Ahmed was hospitalized due to fever and hadn’t played since day three, leaving Pakistan with only three wickets left to defend. By 11:37 AM, England had secured a remarkable victory, marking one of the greatest wins of the “Bazball” era.
When asked if a psychological barrier affected Pakistan’s batting in the second innings, Masood dismissed the idea and reiterated that his bowlers needed to improve. He stated, “I wouldn’t say my team is weak mentally.”
“Third innings in isolation can seem like a collapse and it can come across as everything has gone wrong. But, had we kept England thereabout our score, which I thought we did a good job with the bat in the first innings, then these 220 that we put on today could have been a difference and anything above 150 [as a target] on the final day on any kind of pitch requires proper chase.”
Following their innings and 47-run defeat, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced a “recomposition” of the selection committee. This new committee will include former international umpire Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, and Azhar Ali, joining Asad Shafiq, Hasan Cheema, along with the coach and captain.
The new selection committee’s first task will be to name the squad for the remaining matches of the series, as Pakistan had only announced a squad for the first Multan Test.
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New Zealand finds itself in an ideal position as they head into their final two group games. Coming into this World Cup after suffering 10 straight losses in the format, they weren’t considered favorites to finish in the top two of a group that includes powerhouse teams like Australia and India. Facing these two teams right at the start was a significant challenge, but they managed to defeat one of them before their matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
While nothing is certain in this format, New Zealand is expected to win against both Sri Lanka and Pakistan. If Australia defeats India on Sunday, it will further clear the path for New Zealand’s chances of advancing. However, their immediate focus is on performing well in their upcoming matches. Sri Lanka has struggled in this tournament, losing all three of their games convincingly, including a heavy defeat against India that likely impacted their confidence significantly.
The Asian champions can find some comfort in New Zealand’s poor batting performance in Sharjah against Australia. Given that the venue has been challenging for batters, Sri Lanka’s slim hopes will depend on their bowlers keeping New Zealand quiet.
However, New Zealand is unlikely to be too concerned about their bowling attack, especially after they bowled India out for just 102 in their first game and took eight wickets against Australia. Amelia Kerr and Rosemary Mair have been effective with the ball, but New Zealand will also be looking for contributions with the bat from Kerr.
If New Zealand can overcome Sri Lanka and then see Australia lose to India, they will still control their own destiny. They will know exactly what they need to do in their final match to secure a place in the last four.
When: Saturday, October 12 at 2 PM local time, 3.30 PM IST
Where: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
What to expect: It’s a day game and it’s Sharjah! Given the trend, expect the conditions to be on the slower side with the tweakers making a massive impact.
New Zealand: Fran Jonas replaced Jess Kerr in the last game, and it will be interesting to see if New Zealand continues with the left-arm spinner after she struggled against Australia. However, the conditions might warrant giving her another chance.
Probable XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Rosemary Mair, Fran Jonas, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson.
Sri Lanka: With their elimination from the tournament, Sri Lanka has nothing to play for. They may offer opportunities to other squad members or keep the same lineup that played against India.
Probable XI: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera.
“We came here to win the World Cup. We didn’t come here to participate. We didn’t come here to sort of say, yeah, we’ll win two matches and go. But we have lost three. So, we have to salvage ourselves in winning that next match. So that would be our prime objective.” – Sri Lanka’s head coach Rumesh Ratnayake
“If we win our next two games, we give ourselves probably the best chance possible. First, you want to win the game. I think that’s the key. You don’t want to, I guess, go out there thinking you’ve got to beat them by X amount of runs and then throw the game. So, I think first you’ve got to win and take it a game at a time.” – New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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