PAK vs ENG: Brendon McCullum lauds Pakistan's spin tactics following Test series defeat

England's cricket team faced a tough 2-1 series defeat against Pakistan, with head coach Brendon McCullum acknowledging that there were “no excuses” for the outcome. After a strong start in the first test, England faltered in Multan and Rawalpindi, where spin-friendly pitches created challenges they couldn’t overcome.

Reflecting on the series, McCullum expressed surprise at how long it took Pakistan to prepare such spin-heavy conditions, which have historically troubled England in the subcontinent. Despite the setback, he praised Pakistan’s bold approach and their strategic use of the surfaces to gain an advantage.

In the series-deciding third test, Pakistan’s spinners, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, proved to be a nightmare for England’s batting lineup. The duo dismantled the English side, sealing a dominant nine-wicket win for Pakistan.

“Credit to Pakistan, the way those two spinners bowled was superb,” McCullum remarked. He noted how well Noman and Sajid worked in tandem, with Noman effectively using variations in pace, while Sajid complemented him by mixing spin and speed, creating a balanced bowling attack that kept England under constant pressure.

“Noman from one end was taking pace off most of the time with the occasional fast one, and Sajid flipped that around, putting pace on with the occasional slow one. It was great partnership bowling, and our guys weren't able to sustain the pressure, unfortunately,” he added.

Pakistan’s tactics extended beyond just their bowlers; they also took significant steps to tailor the pitches to suit their spin attack. McCullum respected Pakistan’s “brave” decisions regarding pitch preparation, which included reusing the first-test pitch in Multan and adjusting Rawalpindi’s surface to enhance spin.

“When teams come to England, we try to play to our strengths, so it’s fair they’re doing the same here,” he noted. “I'm a little bit surprised it's taken Pakistan as long as it has. Because when you go to Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, the ball is always going to turn. What we had here a couple of years ago, or in that first Test match, where it was pretty flat, was a different challenge. It'll be interesting to see over the next couple of years whether they persist with these types of surfaces, but certainly there are no excuses from our point of view. We had our chances, and we ran second.”

Though caught off guard by Pakistan’s strategies, McCullum acknowledged their effective use of home advantage, a common theme in subcontinent cricket.

From the first innings of the deciding test, Pakistan’s spinners took charge, establishing a crucial 77-run lead. Noman, who took six wickets for 42 runs, and Sajid, with four for 69, bundled England out for just 112 runs in their second innings. Their dominance was so complete that Pakistan didn’t even need to utilize their lone seamer, Aamer Jamal. Noman and Sajid’s spin partnership claimed an astounding 39 of the 40 English wickets in the last two matches, underscoring the spin-dependent nature of the pitches.

On the final day, Pakistan only needed 36 runs to claim victory. Despite losing an early wicket, Shan Masood guided them to a comfortable win, hitting multiple boundaries to wrap up the match and secure the series for Pakistan.