MULTAN: Captain Shan Masood hailed Pakistan’s second Test win over England in Multan on Friday as a “relief” but warned his team’s dire recent record would take a long time to turn around.
Pakistan spinner Noman Ali grabbed 8-46 and Sajid Khan took 2-93 as the pair wrapped up England’s second innings for 144 after the visitors were set a daunting target of 297.
The 152-run victory was Pakistan’s first home win since February 2021 and came after they were thumped by an innings in the first Test on the same Multan pitch.
“This was a very important win for Pakistan cricket. The recent results were unacceptable. There is relief, whether you ask cricketers or fans,” said Masood.
“We were hurt after recent results and wanted a positive result, which has come here,” he said. “We need to carry this forward because things will not change overnight.”
Noman finished with a match haul of 11-147 while Sajid had figures of 9-204, only the second time in Pakistan’s history that two bowlers took all 20 wickets in a Test.
Pakistan’s last Test win at home came against South Africa in Rawalpindi more than three years ago. It was followed by 11 home Tests without a win.
Friday’s victory is the first for Masood in his six Tests since being appointed captain last year. “This win is special for the team and for me as well,” he said.
Pakistan dropped ace batsman Babar Azam in one of four changes after their defeat in the first Test.
“Since I’ve come in we’ve had no issue taking risks. We’ve tried to play cricket that brings results, and we’ve lost a lot of matches doing that too,” said Masood.
“But we want to become a team that can produce results anywhere. This is a long process and journey.”
Masood said his team’s first innings score of 366 had set up the win.
“We need big first innings with the bat and then the bowlers to back us up,” said Masood, whose team then bowled England out for 291 for an invaluable 75-run lead.
“The lead took the third innings pressure off us,” he said.
The final Test starts in Rawalpindi on October 24.
Win over England a ‘relief’ but doesn’t fix Pakistan woes, says skipper Shan Masood
https://arab.news/yg3xw
Win over England a ‘relief’ but doesn’t fix Pakistan woes, says skipper Shan Masood
- The 152-run victory against England was Pakistan’s first home win since February 2021
- Pakistani captain wants to carry forward the momentum in the final Test on Oct. 24
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
