Ben Stokes spoke of the “seriously special” belief he has in his team after their fearless brand of cricket yielded a ninth win in 10 Tests since he became captain and a historic 3-0 sweep in Pakistan.
Stokes and opener Ben Duckett knocked off the 55 runs England needed to complete a chase of 167 on the fourth morning in Karachi, with any doubts about the result ended the previous evening as Duckett and Zak Crawley smashed an opening stand of 87 inside 12 overs with the tourists at one stage targeting a three-day win.
England had won once in 17 Tests when Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum took up their posts earlier this year but their newfound aggressive style has since helped them beat New Zealand, India and South Africa at home and become the first team to win a series 3-0 in Pakistan.
- REPORT: England clinch historic 3-0 sweep in Pakistan
- Pakistan vs England: Day four – as it happened
- Scorecard from the third Test in Karachi
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Full highlights from the fourth day of the third Test in Karachi as England beat Pakistan by eight wickets to clinch a series sweep
England’s sole defeat in that time came against South Africa at Lord’s in August but they bounced back immediately with an innings victory over the Proteas at Emirates Old Trafford in the next game.
Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket’s Michael Atherton after England’s eight-wicket triumph in the Karachi Test, Stokes said: “The way individuals go about it gives me so much confidence in myself.
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“That is unbelievable to have as a team. It’s all well having belief in yourself but when you have belief in the other 10 guys around you to influence the game it’s seriously special.
“If I had to pinpoint everyone I would be here all day as everyone has stood up at one point in this series and played a match-defining role.
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“When you take that burden off, you see players excelling. I feel that if the ambition is to win and play an entertaining brand of cricket, it will override any fear of failure.
“You make better decisions when you are not tentative. No one is worried about getting out. You don’t accept getting out but you accept that getting out is part of batting. Releasing that fear of failure is why we are getting results.
“I believed we were going to win last night after the way Zak and Ducky (Crawley and Duckett) started – they have set the benchmark in this series.
“Even when it was the smallest per cent of being able to finish it when I went out, for some reason, I still had a belief I could do it. I was a bit all over the shop last night as we wanted to finish it!
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Watch the moment Stokes tried to mow Pakistan spinner Nauman Ali over the leg-side and lost control of his bat!
Stokes: An incredible all-round performance
“I understand what a huge achievement this is, to win the series without losing. It probably won’t sink in until the new year. It was an incredible all-round performance from everybody.
“I don’t like looking too far ahead but I obviously have my eye on The Ashes in 2023.
“We will continue to grow as a team, spend more time together, keep trying to have fun, play Test cricket with a smile on our faces and try to win as much as we can.”
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Stuart Broad recounts Brendon McCullum’s strategy from the Trent Bridge Test in the summer to ‘never look for a draw’ as a first sign of England’s rise
England’s run-rate-shattering batting – they pummelled over 500 in Rawalpindi on the opening day of the series – was crucial in their victory, with the speed at which they scored their runs giving them time to take 20 wickets in every Test.
Stokes’ captaincy was also vital, from his bold declaration in the first Test to his continued aggressive and innovative fields and shrewd bowling changes.
Asked where his tactics came from, Stokes said: “Instinct. I have got to go with my gut. If I go with my head too much I will probably get it wrong!
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Watch the moment Stokes tried to mow Pakistan spinner Nauman Ali over the leg-side and lost control of his bat!
“A lot of my decisions out here were based on what I thought was the best option at any given time. I feel as if out here is the easiest conditions to mess around with a few different things.
“You just have to realise how you are going to get a wicket. You don’t have to have a slip as it hasn’t looked like going to slip in three games for us.
“Use that slip somewhere else to visually upset the batsman. I reckon we had a leg slip more than a normal slip as we just felt the ball was always going there.”
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In-form England batter Harry Brook reflects on his third hundred of the series in Pakistan, trying to play spin like AB de Villiers, eclipsing David Gower, and running out Stokes!
‘Brook was high class, Ahmed is exciting’
Stokes also reserved plenty of praise for Player of the Series Harry Brook, 18-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed – who became the youngest man to take a Test five-for on debut – and head coach McCullum, with the latter also instrumental in England’s remarkable red-ball revival.
On Brook, who plundered 468 runs across the three Tests, hitting a century in each, Stokes said: “He has been unbelievable – he has set Pakistan on fire with how he has played. His calmness and belief at a young age is high-class.
“Rehan takes you back to when you were a kid and tried to do what you needed to do. What I was impressed with is that the more he got into the game the more confident he got in himself to talk to me about fields and what he wanted the batsmen to try and do.
“Leg-spinners are an absolute gem to have, they can change the game and we saw that when he bowled us to victory. For him to have the ability he has but be nowhere near the finished article is exciting.
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Check out each of Rehan Ahmed’s wickets as the England teenager became the youngest man to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut
“We got a glimpse of him at No 3 with the bat. I am not sure what is better, his batting or bowling. Let’s just let him progress in his own way and not hold him back as we certainly won’t be.”
On McCullum, Stokes added: “I didn’t realise me and Baz would be so aligned. Sometimes they say opposites attract but maybe that’s not the right thing with captains and coaches!
“He has been unbelievable and he has got to take huge amounts of credit for believing in me and my way and also installing that belief into the players as much as I have tried to do.
“He is straight to the point with the way he thinks and leaves no questions in anybody’s head. As soon as his name was brought up before we named the coach, I thought we need to get him.
“I had a way I felt would be good for English cricket to go forward and I knew he was the best person in the world to help us do that.”
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England head coach McCullum described captain Stokes as a ‘maverick’ and a ‘genius’
Finally, on the tour itself, England’s first to Pakistan in red-ball cricket since 2005, Stokes said: “We knew what cricket means to Pakistan and what it meant to them for us to be here.
“The support we have had, not only from the Barmy Army, but Pakistan fans has been incredible. The people of Pakistan have cheered the game on and cricket has been celebrated.
“Everyone has enjoyed their time. We came here to win but also to play an exciting brand of cricket. To walk off to a reception we have had after winning over the home team has been special, so thank you to everyone in Pakistan.”
England return to Test action with two matches in McCullum’s native New Zealand in February.
Sourse: skysports.com
