Noman Ali, one of the standout performers in Pakistan's resounding 152-run victory over England in the second Test at Multan, revealed the key to their success was a well-executed bowling plan.
The left-arm spinner, who played a crucial role in dismantling England’s batting line-up, emphasized the importance of consistency and variation in their approach against the aggressive English side.
“Our plan was simple because the conditions were in our favor. We had to stick to our plan with good line and length, but more importantly, bowl with variation. England don’t let you bowl at one line regularly, but we tried to be consistent and use variations," Noman said.
Noman, who took eight wickets in the match, was instrumental in Pakistan’s dominant performance. In their second innings, England’s batting crumbled under pressure as Noman and fellow spinner Sajid Khan combined to take crucial wickets, securing Pakistan’s first home win since 2021.
The Pakistani bowling attack was well-prepared for the challenge posed by England’s aggressive approach to batting. Noman pointed out that England’s tendency to play attacking shots required the bowlers to stay calm and adjust their strategies on the fly.
Our discussions in the last few days were also about varying our pace and staying calm as they play a lot of shots and try to disrupt bowling plans," he further added.
England’s efforts to chase down Pakistan’s lead were thwarted by disciplined bowling from Noman and Sajid. While Sajid Khan took seven wickets in the first innings, Noman’s ability to adapt his pace and line in the second innings was critical in dismantling England’s top order. Zak Crawley’s early dismissal for just three runs, followed by Ben Duckett’s duck, set the tone for Pakistan’s dominance.
