Courtesy: PCB
Noman Ali, the Pakistan left-arm spinner, 38, picked up a six-wicket haul in the England second innings during the third and deciding Test of the series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. After Pakistan secured a vital first innings lead of 77 runs on day two of the Rawalpindi Test, Noman Ali got into his own once again in the series, blowing away the highly fancied England batting lineup as they were bundled out for just 112 runs, following which the hosts chase down an easy target with nine wickets in hand on day three, to win the series 2-1.
The carnage started in the final session on day two when Noman Ali trapped opener Zak Crawley in front of the stumps for just two runs off 12 balls. In the morning session on day three, the left-arm spinner broke the back of the England middle order by dismissing the likes of Ollie Pope (1 off 15), Harry Brook (26 off 40), Joe Root (33 off 52), and captain Ben Stokes (3 off 9), with the latter bizarrely shouldering arms to a ball turning into him from over the wicket, to pick up his second five-wicket haul of the series.
Noman Ali took 20 wickets in two Test matches for Pakistan against England
After his bowling partner Sajid Khan castled Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, and Rehan Ahmed in quick succession, Noman Ali picked up the final wicket of England’s second innings, getting Jack Leach stumped via Mohammad Rizwan, to help bundle out the visitors for a low score. In the pursuit of the paltry 36-run target, Pakistan lost the wicket of Saim Ayub early, but Abdullah Shafique and captain Shan Masood took their team over the finishing line, to secure a famous Test match and series win.
Overall, Noman Ali picked up a whopping 20 wickets in just four innings for Pakistan at an average of 13.85, demolishing the England batting lineup in Multan and Rawalpindi Test matches. His compatriot, the right-arm off spinner, Sajid Khan took 19 wickets in these two Test matches at an average of 21.10 with a couple of five-wicket hauls to his name as they both brought Pakistan back from the clutches of misery and despair in the recent months and years.
