5 records made by Noman Ali during his 11-wicket haul in 2nd PAK vs ENG Test 2024 in Multan
The spin duo of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan propelled Pakistan to victory in the second Test against England on Friday, October 18, at Multan Cricket Stadium. This victory also ended their 11-match winless streak at home, marking it their first on home soil since February 2021 and setting up a decisive match in Rawalpindi next week.
Thanks to a remarkable 118-run innings from debutant Kamran Ghulam, the hosts posted 366 in their first innings. Ben Duckett led England's scoring with 114 runs, contributing to their total of 291 in the first innings. Sajid Khan took seven wickets, while Noman Ali claimed three for Pakistan.
In the second innings, Agha Salman scored a vital 63 as Pakistan set a target of 297 runs by putting up 221 on the board. England's batting order faltered in the fourth innings, with skipper Ben Stokes top-scoring with 37 runs. The visitors were bundled out for 144, losing by 152 runs. Noman took eight wickets while Sajid bagged two for Pakistan.
This was only the seventh instance of two bowlers taking 20 wickets in a Test match. Noman Ali's remarkable figures of 8-46 provided Pakistan with a much-needed confidence boost and etched his name in the record books.
On that note, let's explore five records set by Noman Ali during his 11-wicket haul in the second Test between Pakistan and England in Multan.
#1 Noman Ali became the oldest player from Pakistan to take a 10-wicket haul in a Test match
The 38-year-old left-arm spinner established a new record as the oldest Pakistani cricketer to take a 10-wicket haul in a Test match.
The previous record was held by Saeed Ajmal, who was 35 years and 324 days old when he recorded figures of 11-118 in a Test against Zimbabwe in 2013. Ajmal played 35 Tests, taking 178 wickets, including 10 five-wicket hauls.
#2 Second-best bowling figures in an innings by a Pakistani bowler on home soil
Noman Ali's match-winning figures of 8-46 in the second Test against England are the second-best by a Pakistani bowler on home soil.
The record is held by Abdul Qadir, who took nine wickets for just 56 runs in a Test against England in Lahore in 1987, leading Pakistan to victory by an innings and 87 runs.
Additionally, Noman's performance places him fifth on the list of the best bowling figures in an innings by a Pakistani bowler.
#3 Best bowling figures by a Pakistani spinner in 4th innings
Pakistan excelled in the fourth innings against England, largely thanks to Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. The left-arm spinner Noman set a record for the best bowling figures by a Pakistani spinner in the fourth innings, achieving an impressive eight-wicket haul.
The record for the best figures by a Pakistani bowler in the fourth innings belongs to former pacer Sarfraz Nawaz, who claimed nine wickets for 86 runs in a Test against Australia in Melbourne in 1979, leading the visitors to victory by 71 runs.
#4 4th best figure in Test cricket for a Pakistani spinner
The 38-year-old's outstanding bowling performance of 8-46 secured him a place among the best figures by a Pakistani spinner in Test history, positioning him fourth. The record is held by Abdul Qadir, who recorded 9-56 against England in Lahore in 1987.
Yasir Shah is second with figures of 8-41 against New Zealand in Dubai in 2018, while Sajid Khan ranks third with 8-42 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2021. Saqlain Mushtaq completes the list in fifth place with 8-164 against England in Lahore in 2000.
#5 Best figures at Multan in a Test innings
Noman's exceptional performance in the fourth innings set a new record for the best bowling figures in a Test match at Multan Cricket Stadium. The previous record was held by Sajid Khan, who took seven wickets for 111 runs in the second innings against England in the same game.