Pakistan defeated England by 152 runs on the fourth day of the second Test match in Multan, leveling the three-match series.

Pakistan secured their first home Test win in almost four years when they beat England by 152 runs in the second match in Multan on Friday, leveling the three-match series and overturning last week's crushing defeat.

The victory also ended an 11-Test home winning streak dating back to February 2021 and was secured before lunch on day four as England lost eight wickets in the session and were bowled out for 144 in the chase of 297.

Pakistan off-spinner Noman Ali broke his two best bowling figures with 8-46 in the second innings, including the last seven falling, completing match figures of 11-47. It was also the first time that Pakistani spinners took all 20 wickets in a match, with Sajid Khan taking 9-204.

Had Khan, who was bowling at the other end when the last wicket fell, taken another wicket, it would have been the first time in the history of Test cricket that two bowlers had taken 10 wickets in the same game. It was also Pakistan's first Test win, home or away, in almost four years and came just a month after their humiliating 2-0 defeat at home to Bangladesh.

“The first one is always special and it comes after some hard and tough times,” said Pakistan captain Shan Masood, whose position was coming under increasing pressure, reflecting on his first Test victory.

Pakistan's omission of Babar and Shaheen rewarded?

Pakistan's humiliating defeat by an innings and 47 runs in Multan just a week ago led to four changes being made for this game. The controversial omission of star batter Babar Azam and key seam bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was most notable as the hosts opted to field seven spinners on the surface used.

“We tried to go for green seamers (surfaces) against Bangladesh but were a bit off. The only other Test we played in Multan was two years ago and it offered some spin, so we tried something different,” said Masood about the decision to play this game just three days after the end of the Multan’s first game The series ended on exactly the same route – also considered a first that can be found in the history books at all.

“The most satisfying thing for the boys was to step in after last week and stick together to get 20 wickets,” Masood added. “You have to applaud the group – they were hungry, you can’t doubt the effort or commitment.”

England continued the day at 36-2 but quickly lost Ollie Pope to a catch-and-bowl from Sajid for 22 runs. It was the first of four wickets to fall for 51 runs, putting the tourists in a dangerous position that even captain Ben Stokes couldn't undo with 37 – the highest score of the innings.

England not upset about Pakistan's 'idiosyncrasy'

Stokes scored with a run-a-ball pace, dancing down the track to Noman and swinging his bat but it flew out of his hands and landed at mid-wicket. Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan had enough time to collect the ball and clear the ball while the England captain was well out of the crease.

“It was going to be a massive task for us because there was so much going on out there on the wicket,” Stokes told Sky Sports. “It was incredibly difficult conditions to achieve this goal – you always felt like there was a ball with your name on it.

“It was always an advantage who won the toss on the sixth day pitch before a ball was bowled. We lost a lot of wickets at the end of the second day and that’s when I felt the pitch started to respond more.”

England coach Brendon McCullum reiterated Stokes' sentiment that the tourists always struggled with losing the toss on a surface that would always benefit the spinners, but said there were no objections to the tactic to play on the same surface.

“I don’t mind the quirkiness or anything. When you play at home you must have home advantage. I have no problem with it at all,” McCullum told Sky Sports. “I have always noticed in Pakistan that the game gets faster as the game goes on. This one was fast from the start. It’s always better when there’s a battle between bat and ball.”

The crucial final Test begins on October 24 in Rawalpindi. Whether Pakistan recalls two of its biggest names remains to be seen, but there is life back in Pakistan cricket and that can only be good for the global sport, not just this series.