England levelled the four-Test series against Pakistan 1-1 after winning the second match at Old Trafford by 330 runs on Monday. Set a steep 565-run target to win, Pakistan succumbed to 234 all-out in their second innings, after being bowled out for a meagre 198 in their first essay.
The criticism surrounding England captain Alastair Cook opting to not enforce follow-on after taking a 391-run lead in the first innings was somewhat drowned as the clinical English pace brigade helped the hosts romp to a huge win.
Luckily for Cook, he had a fantastic outing with the bat (105 and 76 not out) and set his team up for a comfortable win. After the humbling suffered from the hands of Yasir Shah in the first Test, Cook, along with double centurion Joe Root, set a solid platform on Day 1.
Root (254 and 71 not out) was the star of the show and was rightly adjudged Player of the Match. England's captain and vice-captain's thrill-a-minute display in the early part of the fourth day had some jaws gaping wide open.
Unlike Lord's, the Manchester wicket had little to offer to the spinners. Shah was blunted out with England wearing the spinner down, and pushing him to go full and wide. The leggie was clobbered, ending with an abject match haul of 1/266 from 63 overs.
After James Anderson's early burst in the second innings, the writing was on the wall for the visitors, who folded out in the last session of the day's play. Misbah-ul-Haq yet again stood defiant for Pakistan. Along with Asad Shafiq, he fought hard to prolong the inevitable, but the Pakistan skipper chopped the ball onto his stumps just when the duo were set.
The third Test is in Birmingham and begins on August 3.