Pakistan finally ended their 11-match winless streak at home and equalled the series 1-1. Their decision to go with a spin-heavy bowling attack featuring Noman Ali and Sajid Khan paid off handsomely in their recent Test win in Multan.

The hosts were in a real spot of bother after losing the Test opener by an innings and 47 runs. However, in the second Test, the finger spinners, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan rose to the occasion and exposed England batters' frailties so much that they took all 20 wickets. The spin duo combined together and wreaked havoc on the visitors, courtesy of their sharp bowling variations.

The pitch played a key role in the hosts' decision to lean heavily on spin. It is cognizance of the fact that the dry, abrasive surface in the subcontinent often breaks down as the game advances, which in turn, provides a great deal of assistance to spinners.

Noman Ali and Sajid Khan spin Pakistan to victory

The visitors faced an uphill task as they required 261 runs to win with eight wickets in hand on a challenging final day. The odds were against them, particularly on a pitch that had deteriorated significantly.

The ball gripped and turned sharply from the rough, which let the spinners dictate terms and kept the opposition under constant pressure. Sajid Khan struck an early blow by getting rid of Ollie Pope in just the second over of the day, which set the tone for what was to come.

After Sajid Khan, Noman Ali dominated the proceedings by spinning a web around the English batters. The visitors tried to negate the sharp turn with various types of sweeps and reverse-sweeps.

Ben Stokes put up a fight on the final day by top-scoring with 37 off 36 before he was dismissed by Noman Ali's tricky ball, courtesy of Mohammad Rizwan's stumping. The momentum slowly turned in favour of the hosts before they channelized their aggression in the right way.

Brydon Carse (27 off 32) showed some resistance by launching three sixes to give England a glimmer of hope. Needless to say, his effort was not enough to unsettle Pakistan’s spin duo. Meanwhile, skipper Shan Masood showed faith in his spinners, using only Sajid Khan and Noman Ali throughout the final innings.

The spin duo delivered the goods when it mattered the most as they wrapped up the proceedings inside 34 overs. Pakistan won the game by 152 runs to level the series, with one more game to be played. The third and final Test will kick off on October 24 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Noman Ali picked up 11 wickets whereas Sajid Khan picked up nine wickets in conditions that were tailor-made for them. The duo took complete advantage of the track

The ball gripped and turned sharply from the rough, allowing the spinners to dictate terms and keep the opposition under constant pressure.