Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Stoked: England skipper hails 'special' win in Pakistan

It was only the third time England won a Test in Pakistan, although they haven’t visited since 2005 because of security issues.

Stoked: England skipper hails 'special' win in Pakistan

Skipper Ben Stokes hailed England's nail-biting victory in the first Test against Pakistan Monday as "one of the best" of his career -- particularly given the state of the lifeless Rawalpindi pitch.

With just minutes to spare in dying light after five days of enthralling cricket, England finally halted a heroic last stand by Pakistan's tailenders to win the first Test by 74 runs.


It was only the third time England won a Test in Pakistan, although they haven't visited since 2005 because of security issues.

"To be able to get a result on this type of wicket is mind-blowing," Stokes said ahead of the second Test starting in Multan on Friday.

"I think it's probably one of the best. The effort that everyone has managed to put in this whole week is just incredible."

England has "Bazball" to thank for their victory -- the free-wheeling brand of cricket coined from the nickname of new head coach Brendon "Baz" McCullum, a New Zealander.

McCullum was an aggressive batter in his playing days -- he holds the record for the fastest individual Test century -- and under him, and skipper Stokes, the English have brought one-day cricket to the five-day game.

Records tumbled in Rawalpindi with England becoming the only team in history to score 500 runs on the first day of a Test -- courtesy of four individual centuries, another record.

Overall, some 1,768 runs were scored in the match -- the third-highest aggregate since Test cricket began.

Still, Pakistan did well to peg back England's daunting 657-run first-innings total to trail by just 78 runs.

England again turned on the fireworks in their second innings before a bold Stokes declaration left Pakistan seeking 343 runs for victory.

For a while, it looked as if the home team would do it -- but a devastating last session saw England shine as the light dimmed for a famous victory.

"We're pretty lost for words," said Stokes, who now has seven wins in the last eight Tests.

"I feel very honoured and feel a very privileged position to be able to lead these guys.

"Jimmy Anderson was saying he felt a bit emotional, so having a bloke with near enough 180 Test matches (176) feeling like that at the end of this is proof that we've achieved something very special."

Stokes suggested "Bazball" was here to stay.

"Test cricket is generally exciting when England are playing," he said. "That's what we set out to do from day one."

And he praised the fighting spirit of his players in dealing with a mystery virus that threatened the start of the first Test.

"The way in which the lads just dealt with it and just cracked on was a credit to them as individuals and as a team," he said.

Stokes also had praise for the home crowd -- delighted to see England visit at last, but disappointed not to win.

"I'm not going to lie, the reception that we got walking off the field as winners in Pakistan was very special," he said.

(AFP)

More For You

Modi arrives in Saudi Arabia to strengthen strategic ties

Prime minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (22)

Modi arrives in Saudi Arabia to strengthen strategic ties

INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi arrived in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Tuesday (22) for his third visit as prime minister to the oil-rich Gulf kingdom.

The trip came a day after Modi held talks with US vice-president JD Vance in India, with New Delhi looking to seal a trade deal with Washington and stave off punishing tariffs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Veterans urge nation to 'unite and remember' in VE Day letter

Samina Mahroof, a cutter at the JW Plant Flag Company works on flag orders ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary on March 18, 2025 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Veterans urge nation to 'unite and remember' in VE Day letter

TEN surviving Second World War veterans, including three from the British Indian Army, have written an open letter urging people across the UK to come together and remember the sacrifices made during the war.

Launched on Wednesday (23) by the /Together Coalition, the letter is part of a wider campaign marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which falls on May 5.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vinay Narwal

Lieutenant Vinay Narwal of the Indian Navy, 26, from Haryana, was among those killed in the attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Photo: X/@indiannavy

Navy officer on honeymoon, grandfather vacationing with grandkids among 26 killed in Kashmir attack

LIEUTENANT Vinay Narwal of the Indian Navy had been married just six days earlier. He was on his honeymoon in Pahalgam when he was shot in the head by a terrorist while eating bhelpuri with his wife.

Manjunatha, a tourist from Karnataka, was asked if he was Hindu or Muslim before being shot dead.

Keep ReadingShow less
Who is Saifullah Kasuri, the  mastermind behind Pahalgam attack?

Saifullah Kasuri

Who is Saifullah Kasuri, the  mastermind behind Pahalgam attack?

THE tourist town of Pahalgam in India's Jammu and Kashmir witnessed one of the worst terror attacks in the region on Tuesday (22) since the abrogation of Article 370. A group of heavily armed terrorists opened fire on unsuspecting tourists at Baisaran meadow, killing 26 people and injuring many more.

The attack sent shockwaves across the country and drew condemnation from leaders both in India and abroad. Within hours, a group known as The Resistance Front (TRF), widely believed to be a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hertfordshire Police treat vandalism of Muslim graves as Islamophobic hate crime

The damage to plaques at Carpenders Park Cemetery has sparked outrage in the Muslim community

Hertfordshire Police treat vandalism of Muslim graves as Islamophobic hate crime

Grant Williams

HERTFORDSHIRE Police have said they are “confident” the desecration of Muslim graves at a cemetery in north London “was a religiously motivated act”.

The leader of the council that owns the cemetery visited the site last week to speak to grieving families following the horrific incident.

Keep ReadingShow less