The Test series was won 2–1 by Pakistan, who fielded a consistently strong team led by Javed Miandad and featuring the batting talent of Saleem Malik and the strike bowling partnership of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis as well as the guile of Leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

England's batting was also strong, with Alec Stewart, Graham Gooch and Robin Smith excelling, but they lacked a consistent bowling threat.

Accusations of ball tampering to produce their reverse swing were levied at Wasim and Waqar through the British press, after they were reported to the ICC Match Referee after a One-day International at Lord's.

Big centuries from Miandad and Malik put the tourists in a commanding position, but they were stymied by only having a day and a half to bowl England out twice, and once Stewart had settled into his innings the draw was the only likely outcome.

Pakistan's reply featured half-centuries from Aamir Sohail, Asif Mujtaba and Salim Malik, but they could only establish a first innings lead of 38, Malcolm and DeFreitas the pick of England's bowlers.

Ramiz Raja, Asif Mujtaba and Javed Miandad all made half centuries as well, and only Gooch was able to stem the flow of runs, his 18 overs going for just 39.

Although Gooch, Gower, and Lewis all made half-centuries, none went on to make a really big score, and England looked in trouble at various points of in innings being 42/2, 200/5 and 256/7, before Salisbury and the debuting Tim Munton added 64 for the ninth wicket.

England's all-seam attack rattled through the Pakistani batting, with only Salim Malik putting up any resistance, though he ended up stranded on 82 despite useful support from Mushtaq Ahmed that spared the tourists' blushes (they added 64 for the ninth wicket).

The England batsmen made rather hard work of their target of 99, Atherton, Smith and Stewart all falling in single figures, but Gooch and then Gower saw them to victory.