PAK vs ENG: Shahid Afridi reacts to Pakistan's Test victory over England in Multan

Pakistan finally broke their streak of home losses with a hard-fought victory over England in the second Test of the three-match series at Multan. The Men in Green, notably missing star batsman Babar Azam, showed resilience and secured a crucial win, leveling the series 1-1.

One of the key talking points following the win was the absence of several top players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah, who were all dropped by the new selection committee after the first Test. Shaheen, who featured in the series opener, was left out due to a recent dip in form, a decision that sparked widespread debate.

However, the decision paid off, with Pakistan's spinners stepping up on a spin-friendly surface. Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi took to social media to commend the team's performance, particularly their decision to rely on spinners in the absence of their pace spearheads.

"Bigger risks = bigger rewards! When you cannot prepare wickets to support your fast bowlers, the best strategy was to put trust in your spinners, and this has paid off," Afridi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The former skipper also singled out players Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan for their outstanding contributions. Ghulam's century in the first innings set the platform for Pakistan's competitive total, while Salman Ali Agha continued his fine form with a crucial half-century in the second innings.

Afridi's remarks echoed the sentiment of the Pakistani cricketing fraternity as he praised the tactical shift. "Kudos to the Pakistan cricket team, especially Kamran G, Salman Ali, Noman A, and Sajid Khan. Look forward to many more triumphs and successes!" he added.

The spinners were the real stars of the match, with Noman Ali and Sajid Khan sharing all 20 England wickets between them. Sajid was the standout in the first innings, grabbing a seven-wicket haul, while Noman responded in the second innings with eight wickets, sealing England’s fate.

With the series now level, all eyes are on the third and final Test, where Pakistan will hope to ride the momentum from this win and secure a series victory on home soil.