England complete historic clean sweep over Pakistan

 Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett
England captain Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett celebrate their win in the Karachi Test. Photo: AFP/Asif Hassan

Karachi: A relentless England line-up powered to an eight-wicket win in the third and final Test on Tuesday to complete a historic series sweep in Pakistan.

England started the day needing a further 55 runs for victory and reached 170/2 within 38 minutes to secure its second successive win with more than a day to spare in its first Test tour of Pakistan in 17 years.

It was Pakistan's first ever 3-0 loss in a three-Test series on home soil.

Pakistan fell for 216 against 18-year-old rookie Rehan Ahmed (5/48) in the second innings to set England a modest target of 167 for victory.

Ben Duckett resumed on 50 and remained unbeaten on 82 off 78 balls and skipper Ben Stokes signed off his team's dominant Bazball' brand of aggressive cricket by finishing on 35 not out.

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed could have finished the series with 18 wickets in two Test matches, but Agha Salman couldn't hold onto a difficult chance from Stokes at long-on with England just 19 runs away from a memorable win.

England won the first Test on a flat wicket in Rawalpindi by 74 runs in dimming light on the last day before recording a thrilling 26-run win at Multan on a slow turning track inside four days.

It was a just a third loss for Pakistan at the National Stadium in 45 Test matches and first in 15 years. England were the first team to beat Pakistan there in a Test match in 2000 before South Africa won there seven years later.

The 3-0 drubbing was also Pakistan's fourth successive Test loss at home after Australia beat them in the final Test earlier this year to win the two-match series 1-0.

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