Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar hailed England batters after they posted 506/4 on Day 1 of the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. Four batters registered centuries and few records were broken on the first day’s play.
All the English batters except Joe Root took the hosts’ bowlers to task and hammered them all around the park. The batters scored at a strike rate of more than 100. England openers Zak Crawley (122) and Ben Duckett (107), posted 174 runs in the first session, which is also a new record.
Incidentally, before the start of the first Test, several members of the English team were down with a virus and there were high chance that the game would be postponed. However, just two hours before the starting time, the tourists confirmed that they were fit to play the Test match.
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Shoaib Akhtar was mighty impressed with how the English batters despite not being well. Speaking in a video posted on Twitter after the end of the first day’s play in Rawalpindi, said that despite being unwell, England broke numerous records.
“Shukr hai abhi England team ki tabiyat kharab thi, jo kal report aa rhi thi, England ki team ki tabiyat theek nahi hai. Jab tabiyat theek nahi hai tab 500 maar diye, agar theek hote to bahut bura haal krte (They scored 500 when they are sick. They would have thrashed us if they were fit and fine).”
Kharab tabiyat pay hamara yeh haal kia hai England k players nay. Yeh theek hotay toh kya kertay. pic.twitter.com/rr8fUhBgzY
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 1, 2022
“Vo believe krta hai run a ball khele jaye” – Shoaib Akhtar lauds England head coach Brendon McCullum
Shoaib Akhtar further lauded England Test coach Brendon McCullum and his approach of wanting his team to score run-a-ball in Test matches as well and pushing for results.
“Inke jo coach hai Brendon McCullum, vo ye believe ni krta ki Test matches aise khele jaye ruk ruk k.Vo believe krta hai run a ball khele jaye. Vo jab se aaya hai Test cricket mai, England ne maarna shuru kr diya hai. England nahi rukta. Batting line up unke pass bahut lambi hai. Vo kehte hai ki run a ball khelo bhyii Test matches bhi.
(Their {England’s} coach Brendon McCullum doesn’t believe in batting slowly in Test cricket. He asks his players to score run-a-ball. England have playing aggressive cricket since he came to the helm. They don’t stop. They have depth in their batting line-up. So, I think, Pakistan also needs to change the mindset),” he added.
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