Ali Usman Hails Pakistan’s Bowling Improvement After Five-Wicket haul Despite England’s Dominance

Ali Usman may have claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul, but the moment was bittersweet as England had already built a commanding 195-run lead with two wickets in hand. The Pakistani bowler admitted his side’s bowling “was not up to standard,” allowing England to score “too many runs” and taking responsibility alongside his teammates for the lapses. “I took five wickets, but we’ve given away too many runs as a bowling unit,” Usman said. “We’ll work on our mistakes and try not to repeat them.”

Pakistan had promising starts under dark skies and artificial light, with the ball offering variable turn early on. However, inconsistent line and length allowed Joe Root and Jordan Cox to expand a fragile partnership into a substantial 150-run stand. Usman introduced some much-needed control later in the day, capitalising on a gripping surface in the closing stages. He celebrated the brilliant catch from Dan Lawrence’s misfield and Harry Brook’s dismissal—particularly sweet given Brook’s historic dominance against Pakistan, averaging 84.72. “If they got even a bit of room, they were scoring runs. Dan was struggling against spin, and Harry uses his feet well, so I aimed to bowl within the stumps,” Usman explained.

As light faded, Usman struck twice more: Gus Atkinson was trapped in front, and Ollie Robinson was beaten by a perfectly timed delivery. The feat marked the first five-wicket haul by a visiting spinner at Headingley since 1972. “When I started bowling, the ball felt like it was gripping. I tried to hit the right areas, and that’s where the wickets came,” he said.

Despite the setback, Usman remains optimistic, noting the pitch is slowing and will offer increasing turn in the coming days. “The pitch is slow now, but over the next three days, it’s going to take a lot more turn,” he observed. To salvage the match, Pakistan must bat constructively and positively. “We’ve taken the ball deep in the West Indies and the warm-up game. Our batters are in form, and we hope they do well,” he added. “We’re positive as a batting unit. Anything can happen.”

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