L ast week, England completed a 3-0 white[1]wash over Pakistan after thrashing the hosts in the third and final Test in Karachi. They also won the first two matches in Rawalpindi by 74 runs and Mul[1]tan by 26 runs respectively. This was England’s first Test tour of Pakistan since 2005. Be[1]fore the current wins, England had won only two Tests in Pak[1]istan and it was their first series win in the country since 2000- 2001. Babar Azam and company became the only Pakistan team to suffer a whitewash in a home Test series. It was again Pakistan bat[1]ting which let them down in the series. Surprisingly they surren[1]dered against less experienced spinners — Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed in the last Test. England maintained 5.50 run rate in the series against Pak[1]istan. No other team has had a run-rate of five or more in a Test series of three or more matches. The previous highest was 4.66 by Australia in the three-match home series against West Indies in 2015-16. All English batsmen played Test matches the way they play in the white-ball format. All of them — Duckett (95.71), Pope (94.07), Brook (93.41), Stokes (93.01) and Crawley (91.79) – had stunning strike-rates. On the other hand, Pakistan batsmen’s playing style on their home conditions was totally dif[1]ferent. The strike rates of Babar Azam (68.91), Imam-ul-Haq (58.71), Azhar Ali (55.72), Abdul[1]lah Shafique (49.88), Saud Sha[1]keel (45.34) and Mohammad Rizwan (53.81) showed how they avoided taking any risk. After landing in Pakistan, coach Brendon McCullum warned that England will con[1]tinue their mantra of attacking cricket in Pakistan ahead of a se[1]ries in which he hopes his players will experience the greatest achievement of winning overseas. England’s young middle order batsman, Harry Brook, was the most successful batsman of the series with 468 runs, at an average of 93.60. In five innings he scored three cen[1]turies and one fifty. Opener Ben Duckett was behind him with 357 runs including one hundred and three half-centuries. Babar remained the most successful batsman from Pak[1]istan with 348 runs, averaging 58.00 including one century and three fifties. Young Saud Sha[1]keel was behind him with 346 at an average of 57.66 with the help of four half-centuries. Imam-ul-Haq again proved his skills as an opener, scor[1]ing 229 runs in four innings with the help of one hundred and one fifty, averaging 57.25. Opener Abdullah Shafique, except the Rawalpindi Test first innings century, only managed 99 runs in the next five innings. His series tally was 213 at an av[1]erage of 35.50. Former skipper Azhar Ali ended his Test career on a dis[1]appointing note as he bowled out on duck in his last Test in[1]nings. He played two Tests in the series, scored 112 runs with a high score of 45, averaging 28. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mo[1]hammad Razwan was not in good batting form in the series, failing to score even one fifty in six innings. He managed 141 runs at an average of 23.50. Allrounders, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz also failed to deliver. Faheem scored only 37 runs in four innings, av[1]eraging 9.25 and on the bowling side he also failed to take a sin[1]gle wicket while Nawaz man[1]aged 46 runs and took one wicket in the only Test he played. Among the bowlers, Pak[1]istan’s new spin sensation, Abrar Ahmed, was the best performer with 17 wickets in the series, av[1]eraging 27.17. From the visitor’s side, left[1]arm spinner Jack Leach took 15 wickets in the series at an aver[1]age of 44.60. His best figures of the series were 7-212. England’s Young spinner Rehan Ahmed, became the youngest bowler to take a five[1]wicket haul on debut at 18 years and 128 days old. In his first Test he took seven wickets for 137 runs. Rehan is also England’s youngest Test debutant, who played his first Test at the age of 18 years, 126 days. Pakistan now have an oppor[1]tunity to restore their reputation as New Zealand is the third high[1]profile team visiting Pakistan in recent times, following Australia and England. New Zealand will play two Tests, which are part of the ICC World Test Championship to be played in Karachi (December 27- 31) and Multan (January 4-8). The Black Caps will return to Karachi for three ODIs that are part of the ICC Super League on January 11, 13 and 15. New Zealand’s lasttoured Pak[1]istan for a Test series in 2002. Pak[1]istan won the series 1-0. But Pakistan lost their last three Test series in New Zealand (0-2) in 2016-17, home series in UAE (1-2) in 2018-19 and again in New Zealand (0-2) in 2020-21. Kane Williamson stepped down as Test captain after six years and now fast bowler Tim Southee will be lead[1]ing the tourists in Pakistan. The 32-year-old Williamson led New Zealand in 40 Tests: winning 22, losing ten and draw[1]ing eight games. He averaged 57 and scored 11 hundreds as cap[1]tain, both of which are records for New Zealand. Under Williamson, the New Zealand team won the World Test Cham[1]pionship last year. Leg Spinner Ish Sodhi and Henry Nicholls were recalled for the ODIs tours of Pakistan. Sodhi joins Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips in the spin attack as New Zealand look to give their best on Pakistan’s spin friendly pitches. khurrams87@yahoo.com