Skipper Ben Stokes hailed England’s nail-biting victory within the first Test in opposition to Pakistan Monday as “one of the best” of his profession — significantly given the state of the lifeless Rawalpindi pitch.
With simply minutes to spare in dying gentle after 5 days of enthralling cricket, England lastly halted a heroic final stand by Pakistan’s tailenders to win the primary Test by 74 runs.
It was solely the third time England have gained a Test in Pakistan, though they haven’t visited since 2005 as a result of of safety points.
‘Mind-blowing’
“To be able to get a result on this type of wicket is mind-blowing,” Stokes mentioned forward of the second Test beginning in Multan on Friday.
“I think it’s probably one of the best. The effort that everyone has managed to put in this whole week is just incredible.”
England have “Bazball” to thank for his or her victory — the free-wheeling model of cricket coined from the nickname of new head coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum, a New Zealander.
McCullum was an aggressive batter in his taking part in days — he holds the file for the quickest particular person Test century — and underneath him, and skipper Stokes, the English have introduced one-day cricket to the five-day recreation.
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Records tumbled in Rawalpindi with England turning into the one crew in historical past to attain 500 runs on the primary day of a Test — courtesy of 4 particular person centuries, one other file.
Overall, some 1,768 runs had been scored within the match — the third-highest combination since Test cricket started.
Still, Pakistan did properly to peg again England’s daunting 657-run first-innings whole to path by simply 78 runs.
England once more turned on the fireworks of their second innings earlier than a daring Stokes declaration left Pakistan in search of 343 runs for victory.
For some time, it regarded as if the house crew would do it — however a devastating final session noticed England shine as the sunshine dimmed for a well-known victory.
‘Bazball’
“We’re pretty lost for words,” mentioned Stokes, who now has seven wins within the final eight Tests.
“I really feel very honoured and really feel a really privileged place to have the ability to lead these guys.
“Jimmy Anderson was saying he felt a bit emotional, so having a bloke with near enough 180 Test matches (176) feeling like that at the end of this is proof that we’ve achieved something very special.”
Stokes advised “Bazball” was right here to remain.
“Test cricket is generally exciting when England are playing,” he mentioned. “That’s what we set out to do from day one.”
And he praised the combating spirit of his gamers in coping with a thriller virus that threatened the beginning of the primary Test.
“The way in which the lads just dealt with it and just cracked on was a credit to them as individuals and as a team,” he mentioned.
Stokes additionally had reward for the house crowd — delighted to see England go to ultimately, however disillusioned to not win.
“I’m not going to lie, the reception that we got walking off the field as winners in Pakistan was very special,” he mentioned.
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