Former England Captain, Nasser Hussain complimented the English team’s performance after their historic 3-0 win against Pakistan in the three-match Test series. According to him, Ben Stokes and Co. displayed a positive brand of cricket right through the series and were rewarded for the same.
England bowled exceptionally well in this Test to set up a 167-run target in the fourth innings. Ben Duckett remained unbeaten on 82, while Stokes chipped in 35* to seal the third Test within an hour on Day 4.
Hussain praised the entire team as well as captain Ben Stokes. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said that they were exceptional in bagging 20 wickets in all the matches.
“(These were) few of the flattest pitches we have seen for a very long time. Even this one (in Karachi), it didn’t spin today, did it? Even on Day 4. Did any of the pitches do anything really throughout? We only pumped it up a little bit because the odd one spun. After Rawalpindi, we were like, this is going to turn,” said Hussain while speaking on host broadcaster.
“For them (England) to get 20 wickets three times in a row and win three games and to get the rate of runs, to buy them time to get 20 wickets, was incredible,” he added.
A Test series 17 years in the making 🇵🇰🏴
We came to win, we came to entertain.
Thank you to the people of Pakistan and everyone @TheRealPCB for your wonderful hospitality 👏#PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/v4045Cw6tL
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 20, 2022
Nasser Hussain further asserted that England scoring above 500 runs on the first day of the series benefited them.
“That won them the Test. I don’t think any other side or any other captain would have won on that pitch. Don’t think this was possible without Stokes in that batting line-up and that set the template for the rest of the tour,” he added.
“It shows the depth in English cricket” – Nasser Hussain
He also talks about how without the contribution of veterans like James Anderson and Stuart Broad they achieved this feat.
“Pakistan just could not keep up with them. 3-0 on these pitches and without (Stuart) Broad and (James) Anderson on this one (Karachi); they haven’t won for a long time without Broad and Anderson. It shows the depth in English cricket and with an 18-year-old (Rehan Ahmed) coming in. Everything they’ve touched has just turned to gold on this tour,” Nasser Hussain continued.
For Nasser Hussain, the performance of batter Harry Brook stood out. He scored centuries in each of the three Tests, forcing Pakistan’s bowlers into submission. Hussain commented:
“He was playing seriously well for Yorkshire before he got into the England side. It was a selection at the right time. He had the fundamentals of batting behind him. He is old-fashioned, playing in a modern captain with a modern coach.”
“He has the basics, but has the modern game. He gets the tempo of his innings right. The tempo in Karachi was his best. He had to get it spot on,” he added.
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