Pakistan secured a whitewash over England with a 71-run victory late on the fourth day in the third and final Test match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday (February 6). Pakistan have won the first Test match by 10 wickets at Dubai while recorded a 72-run victory in the second Test match at Abu Dhabi. Pakistan became the first team in over 100 years to win a Test after scoring less than 100 in the first innings of the match. The last time this occurred was when England scored 76 but still defeated South Africa in 1907. It is also the ninth time overall that a team has won despite a score of less than 100 in the first innings.
It was the first time since 1907 when England defeated South Africa at Leeds after making 76 and sixth time overall that a team had won a Test after being bowled out for less than 100 in their first innings.
England have lost all Test in a series for the seventh time. It was their first whitewash against Pakistan and first whitewash in a series of three or more matches since their 5-0 loss in Aussie in 2006-07
Twice in a few months, the leading Test side in the world has been found wanting. India were whitewashed in England last summer 0-4 and now England have suffered a similar humiliation.
Alastair Cook became the 13th Englishman and 55th batsman overall to score 6000 or more runs in Tests. The left hand opening batsman from Gloucester reached this milestone during his 49-run knock. It was 131 innings of his 75th Test match. At 27 years and 43 days, he is the second youngest man to reach the milestone. Sachin Tendulkar, who reached the milestone at the age of 26 years and 313 days, holds the record.
Pakistan’s win had a lot to do with the performance of their spinners. They picked up 48 wickets in the series at an average of 15.64. It was the highest number of wickets taken by Pakistan spinners in a three-Test series with the previous highest being 45 against England in 1987-88. The average of the Pakistan spinners (15.64) is the second-best in a series of three-plus matches against England. The series also witnessed 75 wkts falling to spin. Only twice before have spinners picked up more wkts in a 3-Test series.
There have been 43 leg-before dismissals in the series which was the highest for a three-match series. The previous highest was 33 lbw dismissals in the West Indies-Pakistan series in 1992-93. The 43 leg before dismissals also equalled the record of most dismissals in a series. There were same number of leg before dismissals in the six- Test series between Australia and England in England in 1981 and five-Test series between West Indies and England in England in 2000.
