After a long drought

Shan Masood can now lift his head high as Team Pakistan has finally clinched a long-awaited Test series win, beating England by nine wickets in Rawalpindi. This victory not only ends a series drought since 2021 but also signals a turning point for Masood, whose leadership had been under intense scrutiny due to consecutive Test losses.

Tactical awareness is always essential, especially in the face of formidable opponents who are less accustomed to the subcontinental pitches. This series saw Pakistan leverage their local conditions to stymie England's traditionally aggressive approach. The use of industrial fans to dry the pitch more rapidly was an unorthodox but effective measure. Pakistan's spinners, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, were pivotal in this victory also, as their spin masterclass broke apart the England line-up. On a pitch engineered specifically to aid spin, they shared 19 wickets in the game, dismissing England for a paltry 112 in their second innings. England, unaccustomed to the rapid turn and variable bounce of Pakistani wickets, struggled to find footing and eventually gave in. By leaning into the team's traditional strength in spin bowling, the skipper and the management have revived the approach that Pakistan teams of past decades used in order to establish a formidable home advantage. Noman's and Sajid's clinical performances invoked memories of Pakistan's spin legends, reminding fans of a legacy that has seen world-class spinners break down some of the strongest batting line-ups in history. While Pakistan boasts a wealth of world-class cricket talent, the real challenge will always lie in utlising that talent effectively under the right conditions and at crucial moments. It is time for Pakistan cricket to move beyond individual performances and adopt a more holistic, strategic approach to winning.

It is a hard-learned lesson, but an important one that breaks the shell that Pakistan cricket had long been entrenched in. It also paves the way for a renewed focus on maximising home advantage, a strategy that has proven successful in securing significant victories.