Pakistan vs. England, 2nd Test, Day 5: Hosts Take Series Lead in Dubai

In a nail-biting final day of this enthralling Test between Pakistan and England, Alastair Cook's men almost pulled off one of cricket's great escapes by pushing the game deep into the final session.

It was a prospect that seemed most unlikely when Ben Stokes departed just after lunch, leaving his side on a precarious-looking 193 for seven, still 300 runs adrift and with the best part of two sessions to survive.

But Adil Rashid, ably supported by Stuart Broad and Mark Wood, batted heroically to frustrate the bowlers, and with the remaining overs ticking away, it looked like Cook's men might somehow claim a remarkable draw.

Kamran Jebreili/Associated Press

Then, with just 40 balls left, Yasir Shah enticed Rashid into a loose drive that was held in the covers to spark wild celebrations for the Pakistanis who, in truth, deserved to win.

Now that the dust has settled in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, let's take a look at some of the takeaways from the final day of this Test and what it might mean for the future.

Record breakers

England's stubborn resistance couldn't prevent a huge Pakistan win; however, both sides broke a number of remarkable records over the course of the day.

In terms of runs, Pakistan's margin of victory (178 runs) is the highest in their history, although they still had to bowl 137.3 overs, the most overs they have ever delivered in a fourth innings, to achieve it.

Meanwhile, the 322 balls faced by England's bottom-four batsmen is the most combined amount ever faced by the batsmen in those positions for any team in the fourth innings of a Test match.

Some of the other incredible statistics from this match are listed here on ESPN Cricinfo; however, one achievement deserves special attention (see below).

Rashid and Wood

At the start of the day, few would have predicted that Adil Rashid and Mark Wood would end it by shattering a Test record that has stood for more than 17 years. 

When the pair came together with the score on 253 in the 104th over, England were seemingly a few balls away from defeat.

However, this inexperienced duo managed to negotiate 176 balls—the longest ninth-wicket partnership in a fourth innings throughout the sport's history—and almost lead their country to an epic escape.

Also, spare a thought for Rashid, who faced 172 balls in total on his own while scoring 62 runs. But having done the hard work, the manner of his dismissal, a needless drive to cover, will haunt the all-rounder for a long time.

Man of the match

While Shah picked up eight wickets and was a threat throughout, the official man-of-the-match award went to Wahab Riaz.

Although the left-arm pace merchant only claimed up one scalp on Monday—a perfect yorker to dismiss Stuart Broad—it was his incendiary three-wicket burst on the morning of Day 3 that shaped the course of the match.

The 29-year-old's match figures of five for 144 don't accurately represent the impressive display of impeccably controlled hostility and reverse swing that makes him so dangerous.

Surely after this performance, it's only a matter of time before Riaz rises up the ICC's official Player Rankings.

The short-term future for England

There are plenty of issues for England to consider over the next few days, and it will be interesting to see what side they pick for next Sunday's clash in Sharjah.

Should Moeen Ali continue as opener? Does Ian Bell deserve to retain his spot? Can they really persevere with the hopelessly out-of-form Jos Buttler?

With James Taylor and Alex Hales waiting in the wings, changes seem certain, and Johnny Bairstow would be wise to start practising his wicketkeeping skills.

Let us know what changes you think should be made in the poll.

The short-term future for Pakistan 

Conversely, things are looking rosy in the Pakistan camp with most of their players having made a significant contribution over the two games so far.

Although with Azhar Ali possibly set to return, Shan Masood's place at the top of the order looks insecure.

With the ball, Misbah-ul-Haq has a nicely balanced attack at his disposal, and with Pakistan knowing they only need a draw to secure the series win, a raft of changes seem unnecessary.

The next Test and final five-day contest of the series begins in Sharjah on Sunday, November 1.