Their 10-wicket thrashing of the hosts in the fourth and final Test at The Oval on Sunday gave Pakistan, now third in the standings, a chance of climbing to the top of the table.
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Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday telephoned Test skipper Misbah ul Haq and congratulated him on the victory of Pakistan cricket team in the fourth Test match against England at The Oval.
They followed it up here with a crushing 10-wicket win sealed with a towering six from Azhar Ali that saw the tourists cruise to their target of 40 inside 13 overs.
PM also applauded efforts of talented leg-spinner Yasir Shah who took six wickets that consolidated Pakistan Cricket Team’s position in the match.
Cook, who is now one test win short of equaling his predecessor Andrew Strauss’s record of 24 and 3 short of England’s national record of 26 wins by Michael Vaughan, spoke on the eve of the fourth and final test of the home series against Pakistan. I think the way we’ve been going that putting them a bit higher is definitely an option.
Pakistan remains third in the world Test rankings but, following this win, could rise to No. 1 if results in Sri Lanka and the West Indies go its way.
The significance of a harmonious return was not lost on captain Misbah-ul-Haq.
A poor second innings display at Edgbaston allowed England to take a 2-1 lead heading into the final Test, but Pakistan showed their fighting spirit to earn a much-deserved draw.
Pakistan level series 2-2 against England at the Oval.
The squad are due to fly to Bangladesh on September 30 for three one-day internationals and two Test matches.
But with Wahab removed from the attack by the umpires for running on the pitch, England’s last-wicket pair of Steven Finn and James Anderson added 32 before Anderson was lbw, sweeping, to debutant off-spinning all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed.
England got through the first 45 minutes without losing a wicket – and early spells from Yasir, Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz – before Sohail Khan struck nearly immediately.
Yasir Shah, whose haul of five for 71 speeded up England’s second-innings demise here, was one.
Resuming 126 runs behind at 88-4, England began well with consecutive half-century stands.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Younis Khan.
But the standout performer for the hosts in this series was by far Chris Woakes, who continues to impress.
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This was Pakistan’s first tour to England since the spot-fixing scandal of 2010, which earned lengthy bans for three of their players.
