How Did Pakistan Overcome England in the 2024 Test Series?

The 2024 cricket calendar saw two starkly different narratives unfold between England and Pakistan. While the summer belonged to English dominance in the shorter format, the autumn brought a sharp reversal on turning pitches. At LakiWin, we understand how quickly momentum can shift when the right strategy is applied, and Pakistan’s recent 2–1 Test series victory serves as a perfect case study in adapting to the conditions at hand.

England set an imposing tone earlier in the year when they hosted a four-match Twenty20 International series in May. Under Jos Buttler’s captaincy, the home side secured a decisive 2–0 victory with wins in Birmingham and London, leaving Babar Azam’s squad looking for answers as rain washed out the scheduled encounters in Leeds and Cardiff. Buttler took home Player of the Series honors, and the result raised serious questions about Pakistan’s bowling depth heading into the longer format later in the year.

By October, the theatre moved to Pakistan for a three-match Test series. England arrived with confidence, and Ben Stokes' squad immediately capitalized by winning the opening Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Harry Brook was a constant threat at the crease, eventually amassing 373 runs as England’s leading run-scorer. For a moment, it looked like the visitors would replicate their limited-overs success and dictate the pace of the entire tour.

The momentum shifted entirely as the series progressed, driven by Pakistan's tactical adjustments under captain Shan Masood. Forced to rethink their approach, the hosts leaned heavily on their spinners to exploit the surface. Noman Ali dismantled the English batting order, finishing as the top wicket-taker with 20 dismissals, while Sajid Khan’s consistent pressure earned him the Player of the Series award. Saud Shakeel anchored the batting with 280 runs, giving the bowlers the totals they needed to defend.

This reliance on specialized bowling paid off perfectly. Pakistan secured back-to-back victories, taking the second Test in Multan before closing out the series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 28. The stark contrast between the two series highlights a basic truth of competition: early setbacks often mask the potential for a complete turnaround if a team can recalibrate its approach and play to its structural strengths.