England’s 3-0 win in Pakistan two years ago was unprecedented and one of their all-time great series triumphs.
In the cannon of their best overseas wins, this probably does not quite touch the 2022 opener in Rawalpindi or their defeat of India in Hyderabad earlier this year, yet it will live long in the memory because of the mind-boggling numbers.
Even with the context of an extremely flat pitch and some fragile opponents, England’s batting achievements are astonishing. The victory is made all the more impressive given the tourists’ short preparation time, inexperienced bowling attack and continued absence of captain Ben Stokes.
Stokes stepped up his return from a hamstring injury during this first Test, bowling in the middle during intervals. He looks close to being fit for the second Test.
The skipper would probably come in for one of the three frontline seamers, most likely Chris Woakes, who began England’s acceleration towards victory by bowling Abdullah Shafique from the first ball of Pakistan’s second innings.
The hosts’ unravelling to 152-6 by the end of the fourth day, still 115 behind, meant their only realistic hope on the final day was avoiding the unwanted record for an innings defeat.
Jamal, who was dropped twice on Thursday, was hit on the head by Brydon Carse in the solitary moment of discomfort Pakistan experienced in the first hour.
Salman backed up his first-innings century, only to be pinned on the front pad when England turned to left-arm spinner Leach.
Jamal attacked Carse’s bouncers, producing a steepling top edge that Ollie Pope dropped back-pedalling from square leg.
But Jamal was left stranded on 55 when Leach got Shaheen and Naseem in the space of four balls, giving England only their second Test win by an innings in Asia, and first since 1976.
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