England captain Ben Stokes heaped praise on young spinner Shoaib Bashir after his match-winning performance on Day 4 of the second Test at Trent Bridge on July 21, Sunday. Bashir picked up his career-best figures of 5 for 41 as England would win the match to clinch the series. West Indies were bundled out for 143 while chasing a target of 385 for the win.
Bashir would become the youngest bowler to take a 5-wicket haul for England on home soil and the first spinner since 2006 to achieve the feat at Trent Bridge. Speaking after the win, Stokes praised his team to pull back things after West Indies got off to a great start in the second innings. The England captain felt that the young spinner showed the world his class on the day on a track where not much spin was on offer. Stokes was also happy to see different individuals stand up for the side to help them get the win in the end.
“Amazing, the comeback we showed after the opening partnership was remarkable. Bash showed the world what he is about on a wicket that wasn’t offering too much to spin. In team sport, you want a few individuals to stand up. What shouldn’t get lost is that partnership between Brook and Root last night when the ball was swinging. We played today again and if we are being brutally honest, we could have got more in the first innings. This week has been great for the progression as a team and as individuals,” said Stokes.
The third and final Test between England and West Indies will begin on 26 July.
