The Pakistan cricket team made history in Rawalpindi by employing an all-spin attack during England’s first innings of the third Test match. Not a single delivery was bowled by a fast bowler, marking only the second instance in Test cricket history where pacers did not bowl at all. The last time this happened was 142 years ago in 1882, when Australia’s Joey Palmer and Edwin Evans bowled 115 consecutive overs against England.
Pakistan’s Spinners Dominate Again in Rawalpindi
Pakistan’s spinners have been at the forefront in recent matches, and their brilliant performance continued in the third Test starting on 24 October at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. After a win in the second Test at Multan, the Pakistani team once again relied heavily on spin to trouble England. The strategy worked as England was bowled out for 267 runs, with the Pakistani spinners sharing all the overs.
Sajid Khan, a standout performer in recent games, picked up 6 wickets in the first innings. He had also taken 7 wickets in the previous Test’s opening innings. Noman Ali, who grabbed 3 wickets in Multan, repeated his feat in this match. Zahid Mahmood and Salman Ali Agha contributed as well, ensuring England’s batting lineup did not get much breathing space.
First Time in 142 Years: No Pacers Bowled
In a rare occurrence, Pakistan used only spinners throughout the first innings. The spinners bowled a total of 68.2 overs, with no fast bowler delivering a single ball. This extraordinary feat was last witnessed in 1882, when Australia relied solely on two spinners, Palmer and Evans, for their entire innings against England.
England Struggles with Pakistan’s Spin Web
The pitch in Rawalpindi favored spinners right from the start, and Pakistan’s decision to open the bowling with two spinners gave them an early edge. Though the England batters fought hard, the persistent spin attack restricted them to a modest score. Pakistan’s bowlers maintained pressure for the entire 42-over stretch, eventually rotating in Zahid Mahmood and Salman Ali Agha to finish the innings.
Pakistan’s Batting Woes Continue
Despite Pakistan’s strong performance with the ball, their batting lineup faltered by the end of Day 1. The team lost 3 wickets for just 73 runs, putting pressure on their middle order. Interestingly, England’s spinners played a key role, taking 2 of the 3 wickets that fell.
Pakistan’s Spin Plan Pays Off—Again
This historic match highlights Pakistan’s growing reliance on spin bowling, especially on home pitches. In the previous Test in Multan, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were the driving forces behind Pakistan’s first Test victory at home since February 2021. Their success has now prompted the team to continue with spin-heavy strategies, which paid off in both the second and third Tests against England.
