In response the team scored their 921 runs in Tests at an impressive rate of 6.73 per over – Ben Stokes encouraged his team to take 20 wickets, and by declaring the innings at tea time on the fourth day and giving Pakistan a target of 343 runs to win in four seasons, he gave his team a small chance of victory.
After the aggressive ground and the decision to delay the entry of the second new ball, Stokes helped Pakistan to bundle out for 268 late last evening and register their third Test win in the country.
“You think you have seen everything in this match until you have seen the last five days. There was no reason on this pitch that the result should have come, so I think it was the best captaincy in Test cricket that I have ever seen getting 20 wickets. I don’t think I have seen a better week of captaincy.
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“Rarely do you have five days where you get everything right but Stokes did it. The way they sent their batsmen out to have fun, score, take you ahead of the game and finally give you time. Then the timing of his announcement was right, every decision he took was clear.
“Captains generally make mistakes in taking precautions, especially in the first match of the series, but Stokes made a mistake and he benefited from it,” said Former England captain Michael Atherton.
“It was also a great announcement – even if the match ended in a draw or Pakistan returned home, I don’t think you would have found anyone criticising the decision.
“Tactically and strategically, it was a masterclass. The way Ben Stokes led, encouraged England to score faster runs, announced the way they marshalled their seam resources and then finally took the second new ball.
“I can’t think of any other England team that would have won matches on this pitch, it was so flat that they needed one team to score runs at an unbelievable rate and get enough time to win the match. England’s run rate was incomparable with anything earlier.