PAK vs ENG 2022-23: England tamed Pakistan by eight wickets in the final Karachi Test and registered a 3-0 clean sweep away from home. Meanwhile, Ben Stokes credited the side's belief in the conquest.
England continued with its flawless performance in Test cricket, punishing Pakistan by eight wickets in the third and final Test at the National Stadium in Karachi on Day 4 on Tuesday. As a result of this win, the visitors have registered a rare 3-0 clean sweep in the sub-continent, especially in Pakistan. At the same time, the former remains unbeaten under Ben Stokes' leadership, with head coach Brendon McCullum being heavily credited for his so-called 'Bazball' form of cricket, mainly about playing an aggressive form of cricket. Meanwhile, following the victory, Stokes noted that it was about the belief in his side, leading to this series' success.
Speaking after the triumph, Stokes remarked, "Perfect. We got a process in which we wanted to play, the challenge was to play on different kinds of pitches, and we stuck to our gameplan and adapted well with bat and ball. Everyone delivered. Lot spoke about how we bat, but our bowling also stood up."
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"It comes down to belief. Our belief in the team in what we were trying to do resonates with everybody. It's unbelievable, and to be able to lead a group full of confidence, it's amazing. Every person stood up at some point and put on a match-winning performance," added Stokes.
"Harry Brook has been a treat to watch. The calmness and belief he has at such a young age are incredible. The confidence and belief he [Rehan Ahmed] got to do what he does, is not a finished article, but it is fascinating for England. I won't forget that cap presentation," Stokes continued.
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"That experience itself was incredible. His [Brook] Dad was so emotional and proud, and I'm sure his Mum would be incredibly proud back home as well. We knew what cricket meant to Pakistan and what it meant to Pakistan for us to be here. We have the best fans in the world, and for the people in Pakistan to come out and support and walk off with the reception, we have a tremendous experience on every ground," concluded Stokes.
On the same note, Brook commented, "Probably been my best tour so far. No one has done it before [3-0 clean sweep], so it's a phenomenal tour. I was annoyed when I got out to Abrar in the second Test and wanted to approach him differently. We were trying to win it last night and just moved the order a bit and sent the boys out for some fun."
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At the same time, a disappointed Pakistan captain Babr Azam reported, "Disappointing as a team. We were not good enough to fight back, but, credit to England, they played well. In the first innings, we lost back-to-back wickets. We were good in patches but not good for longer periods, which cost us. Our bowlers fought back very well, but unfortunately, that wasn't good enough. There are many positives in the series, and we will carry that to the next series and discuss where we fell short and correct that."
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