Shan Masood says Pakistan need stability after famous England win

Captain Shan Masood said Pakistan need stability to build on Saturday’s memorable victory over England, their first home Test series win in nearly four years.

Masood’s team thrashed England by nine wickets in the third and final Test inside three days in Rawalpindi for a 2-1 series win.

England destroyed Pakistan by an innings in the first Test, before the hosts roared back with their spinners doing most of the damage.

“Like London buses they come together,” a relieved Masood told reporters. “The first win came after a long time and it was backed up by a series win. It’s special.”

Until Pakistan levelled the series in Multan last week, Masood’s tenure had been tainted by a string of six successive defeats, including a 2-0 loss at home to Bangladesh.

He faced loud calls for his resignation.

Pakistan cricket has been struggling in all formats recently, with a revolving door of leadership overseeing chopping and changing among both players and management.

“For me the biggest thing is progress,” said Masood.

“The Pakistan team needs stability at the moment,” he added. “But when we think that changes are necessary to put the team on a winning track, we will do so.”

Spinners Noman Ali grabbed 6-42 and Sajid Khan 4-69 to bowl England out for 112 in 37.2 overs.

The duo did not feature in the first Test, which saw England post a record first innings score of 837 and led to the axing of star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Noman and Sajid combined for a spectacular 39 wickets in the subsequent two Tests, tearing through the England batting and delivering a famous series triumph.

“Noman and Sajid were outstanding, like they were in the second Test,” said Masood. “To be here and standing as the winning team, it’s the most special thing for us.”

Between the duo’s spin wizardry across both England innings, Pakistan were buoyed by a gritty century from middle-order batter Saud Shakeel, ensuring they had vital runs to defend.

“People have grown in stature,” said Masood. “It’s about the whole team and its spirit.” Saturday’s match ended with Masood smashing Shoaib Bashir for six to chase down the 36-run target in 3.1 overs before lunch.

Stokes says Pakistan spin duo just too good after series defeat

Captain Ben Stokes admitted that Noman and Sajid were too good for his England team after the spin duo propelled Pakistan to a series victory.

“You’ve got to hold your hands up to say that those two in particular were obviously too good for our batting line-up in those last two games,” Stokes said.

“Credit to Noman and Sajid, the way in which they bowled in the second Test match and in this game, you know it was very good and challenging,” said Stokes.

Stokes said the series defeat was all the more disappointing with England having whitewashed Pakistan 3-0 away two years ago.

“Losing games for England hurts so it’s disappointing,” said Stokes, who missed the first Test in Multan with injury and failed to find form with the bat on his return.

The talismanic Stokes has been central to England’s attacking philosophy, which saw records tumble in the victory in the first Multan Test. But he said consistency had been an issue since.

“We need to do things for longer,” said Stokes, whose team next tours New Zealand for a three-Test series in late November.

“As I said, we did good things in very small amounts of times at certain points throughout the second game and this game.

“But when you don’t sustain that, you know you’re always going to start falling away. “