ENGLAND needed just 38 minutes this morning to complete a remarkable series victory in Pakistan – and skipper Ben Stokes described it as “just perfect.”
Ben Duckett hit the winning boundary for an eight-wicket triumph in the Third Test in Karachi which sealed an historic 3-0 clean sweep in their first tour of Pakistan for 17 years.
England skipper Ben Stokes described this winning moment as “perfect”
Stokes congratulates Ben Duckett after he hit the winning runs in Karachi
England debutant Rehan Ahmed claimed five wickets to help set-up the Third Test victory
It concluded an incredible turnaround in England’s Test fortunes this year and Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have now won nine of their ten matches in charge.
That come after only one win in their previous 17 Test matches and it was fitting that Stokes was in the middle at the end as he finished 35 not out.
He tried to end the game with a six and overtake McCullum’s record of 107 sixes in a Test career – but the ball agonisingly landed five yards short of the boundary.
From the next delivery Duckett put it to bed by slapping another over the rope through backward point.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year nominee Stokes said: “It was just perfect, that’s how I’d describe our win out here.
“We know how we want to play but the challenge was the different pitches we faced in each of the three Tests.
“We stuck to our gameplans and adapted really well with bat and ball. Particularly with the ball, actually.
“Whoever had the ball delivered. The commitment and mindset has been top drawer.”
The tourists required a further 55 runs on day four after England’s debutant leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed took five wickets on his debut yesterday.
And it proved a breeze as Duckett raced to an unbeaten 82 to take his aggregate in his comeback Test series to 357 runs in six innings at an average of 71.4 and strike-rate of 95.7.
He added: “I wanted to be there at the end. You don’t get many opportunities to do that as an opener.
“And it was fitting that Stokesy was there, too. I know he wanted to hit a six to go past Baz! [McCullum]”
