Brendon McCullum, England's head coach, accepted his team's “missed opportunity” after Pakistan sealed a 2-1 series victory with decisive spin-friendly tactics in Multan and Rawalpindi.
McCullum remained magnanimous but acknowledged that his side, despite a historic 800-plus first-innings total in the opener, faltered as Pakistan overhauled their lineup and capitalized on turn-heavy pitches.
Following a ruthless innings win on Multan's flat deck, Pakistan, with a refreshed selection panel, introduced spinning surfaces that saw Sajid Khan and Noman Ali share 39 out of 40 English wickets.
Their bowling transformed the series, dismantling England for just 814 runs across four innings, turning the tide sharply in Pakistan's favour. "Credit to Pakistan, the way that those two spinners bowled was superb," McCullum told Sky Sports. "I thought they varied the pace beautifully.