While Michael Clarke led his baggy greens to a surprise 4-0 whitewash of India, Andrew Strauss led England to an humiliating 3-0 whitewash by Pakistan.
It was England’s first series defeat since the West Indies in 2009.
Said Strauss: “This is the most painful defeat of my career”.
The nomadic Pakistanis, who live out of suitcases with no home thanks to the threat of terrorism, have made the Emirates their “home”.
It’s the first time Pakistan has whitewashed England in a Test series. But it’s the enormity of the losses that has storm clouds hovering over the top-ranked team in world cricket.
Pakistan won the three Tests by 10 wickets, 72 runs, and 71. Comprehensive.
And they did it on the backs of two spinners: 34-year-old Saeed Ajmal, and 31-year-old Abdur Rehman.
Offie Ajmal captured 24 wickets in the three Tests at 14.70. Left-arm orthodox Rehman 19 at 16.73.
As a result, Ajmal is now number two ranked bowler in the world to South African speedster Dale Steyn, while Rehman has broken into the top 10 for the first time at nine.
Not since Abdul Qadir and Iqbal Qasim in 1988 have two Pakistani bowlers been ranked in the top 10.
The much-vaunted England batting array was reduced to rubble.
Jonathan Trott averaged 26.83 in the three Tests, Alastair Cook 26.50, Strauss 25, Kevin Pietersen 11.16, and Ian Bell 8.50.
England failed to score a century for the first time in a series since New Zealand in 1999. Cook was the top scorer against Pakistan with 94.
To add insult to injury, England’s team batting average was 19.06, the country’s lowest in a series since 1888.
And chasing a mere 145 to win the second Test at Abu Dhabi, England was dismissed for 72, their lowest score ever against Pakistan.
On the other side of the coin in the third Test at Dubai, Pakistan was dismissed for 99 in their first innings, but still won by 71 runs to become the first since 1907 to be dismissed for under 100 and win.
The downside? If South Africa beat New Zealand 3-0 in their upcoming series, the Proteas will take over as world number one.
Little wonder Andrew Strauss rates the thumping loss to Pakistan as the most painful of his career.
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