PAK vs ENG: Sajid Khan, Noman Ali create history in Rawalpindi

After smashing record books in the Multan Test by picking all 20 wickets in the Test between them, Sajid Khan & Noman Ali scripted history after just two overs in the third Test in Rawalpindi against England.

On the day, England won the toss and batted first and for Pakistan, who were unchanged, the bowling was opened by off-spinner Sajid Khan. Remarkably, the second over of the game was bowled by his partner-in-crime Noman Ali.

Noman’s over was historical because it meant that, for the first time ever, Pakistan opened the bowling with two spinners in the first innings of a Test. 

In fact, it’s a very rare feat in general. In Test history, this was only the fourth instance of two spinners opening the bowling in the first innings of a Test match. The last such instance came in 2019 when Bangladesh opened the bowling with Taijul Islam & Shakib Al Hasan against Afghanistan in Chattogram.

Instances of two spinners opening the bowling in the first innings of a Test

Motganhalli Jaisimha & Salim Aziz Durani vs ENG in Kanpur, 1964

Mehidy Hasan Miraz & Abdur Razzak vs SL in Mirpur, 2018

Taijul Islam & Shakib Al Hasan vs AFG in Chattogram, 2019

Sajid Khan & Noman Ali vs ENG in Rawalpindi, 2024

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