With Pindi thriller, England redefining Tests
KOLKATA: Are you not entertained? Because it matters to England. This is what happens when you delete ‘draw’ from your Test vocabulary—snatch an improbable win at the Pindi stadium with just about eight minutes of daylight remaining in the final session.
Lahore 1961, Karachi 2000 and now this, England have won just three Tests in Pakistan in 25 attempts but Monday’s 74-run victory will be remembered more for the manner in which this English side is revolutionising Test cricket. “We wanted to come here and carry on with our mantra of exciting cricket giving ourselves the best opportunity to win a Test,” England captain Ben Stokes said after the match. “I have got no interest in playing for draws... we always try to look at the positive option.”
In absolute terms, England have already undergone a massive change—winning seven and losing one Test since Ben Stokes and Brendon Mccullum took over as captain and coach in May. Each of those results has been the culmination of a no-holds-barred brand of cricket, be it chasing 299 in 50 overs against New Zealand, 378 in 77 overs against India, or declaring at 264/7 here despite the temptation of continuing on a placid, torturous pitch in the first game of a Pakistan Test tour after 18 years. Never taking their foot off the gas, England ensured this Test finished third on the list of highest match aggregates—1,768 runs scored, 921 from only 821 balls by England while taking 20 Pakistan wickets in a ringing endorsement of their brand of cricket.
“From day one, we were going to have to score these runs quickly,” Stokes told Sky Sports after the match. “It was going to be a batting error that was going to get the batsman out on this wicket, because there wasn’t any swing, there wasn’t any spin.”
Brief scores: England 657 and 264/7d. Pakistan 579 and 268 (S Shakeel 76; J Anderson 4/36). England won by 74 runs.*