Pakistan secured a series victory over England, securing a nine-wicket win in the opening session on the third day of the third and final Test in Rawalpindi.

Noman Ali (6-42) and Sajid Khan (4-69) combined again to devastating effect, sharing all 10 wickets, with the latter finishing the game on 10-for as England – 24-3 overnight – were 112 out the run went in their second inning.

The tourists' struggle against top-class spin bowling couldn't be more evident when Ben Stokes (3) fell lbw to Noman as he inexplicably stretched his arms over his shoulder in a straight throw.

With a measly 36 runs to win, Pakistan defeated them in no time, with captain Shan Masood (23) – who was under immense pressure early in the series – getting the job done with an impressive six-ball performance and achieving the most notable turnaround with one Six.

The hosts lost the opening game in Multan by an innings and 47 runs, their sixth consecutive defeat under Shan Masood's captaincy and continuing a winless streak at home dating back to February 2021 – which included a 3-0 defeat England's last visit was at the end of 2022.

Such an embarrassing defeat on a completely flat pitch led to a change in approach, with three changes being made for the second Test, played on the same now-used surface in Multan. Kamran Ghulam came into the game and hit a hundred on his debut, but it was the introduction of Noman and Sajid that really changed the series.

With pitches designed for spin, the duo combined to score 39 of the 40 England wickets that fell in the last two Tests, sparking Pakistan's sudden and sensational reversal of fortunes.

On the third and ultimately final morning of the series decider in Rawalpindi, England had made a reasonably positive start, with Joe Root and Harry Brook – the same pair who combined for an England record 454 in the first game – adding 42 to their overnight score without Loss.

The tourists needed just 12 more runs to take a lead, but then there was another sudden collapse, with Brook, Stokes and Jamie Smith all out before the equalizer was reached, with England six behind.

Brook (26) picked up the ball with a quicker and flatter delivery from Noman, Stokes suffered his spectacular brain fade in the left-arm spinner's subsequent over, while Smith (3) was bowled by Sajid as he went in search of a big one Hit was on the ground that served him so well in his first innings of 89.

Root (33) barely gave England the lead but the game and the series were all but over when he became Noman's fifth victim, slotting a thin lead through to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.

Sajid, who had been silent for most of the morning, then secured his 10-0 for the match by bowling both Gus Atkinson (10) and Rehan Ahmed (7), while Noman completed the innings by bowling Jack Leach ( 10) took you by surprise.

With just 36 runs to close the series, England and Leach secured the consolation scalp of Saim Ayub for 8, while Pakistan otherwise quickly got the runs they needed and Masood catapulted his side to victory in just 3.1 overs.

Stokes: We have faced challenges in the last two games

England captain Ben Stokes:

“It’s obviously disappointing to lose games and the series.”

“We were presented with some challenges in the last two games that we just couldn't cope with. Full credit goes to Pakistan.”

“The summer ended late for us back home, we had a few boys playing one-day series but look the boys have been training incredibly hard and are always trying to get better. The pressure of Test match cricket can never be compared to training.”

Hussain: Pakistan has exposed England

Nasser Hussain from Sky Sports:

“Different pitches and selectors (since the first Test) and Pakistan have found the kryptonite for Bazball.”

“They have top quality spinners and players who play spin really well. It exposed England when the ball turned.”

“When it spins and is captivating, England don’t play spin or bowl spin as well as Pakistan.”

“The disparity in the England squad is a cause for concern. It shouldn't be so drastic that you play so well on flat pitches, but the moment it becomes tangible you can't play like that anymore and then you're lost.”

“And three of your top six seem lost at the moment. I'm talking Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope or even Stokes in Asia… his last ten points are very low in these conditions. He used to be our best spin player.”

What's next for England?

England's white-ball side travel to the West Indies for three one-day internationals and a five-match T20 series. The ODIs begin on Thursday, October 31 in Antigua.

Stokes' Test team will next be in action in New Zealand for a three-match tour starting in Christchurch on Thursday November 28.

Pakistan vs England Test Series

First test: Multan – England won by an innings and 47 runs

Second test: Multan – Pakistan won by 152 runs

Third test: Rawalpindi – Pakistan won by nine wickets