“They use their home conditions in their favor”: Ben Stokes refuses to criticise Pakistan for playing two Tests on rank-turners
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — England captain Ben Stokes had no complaints about losing the test series to Pakistan 2-1 on two engineered spin wickets.
“Absolutely not,” Stokes said after Pakistan thumped England by nine wickets inside three days of the third and final test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to clinch its first series win at home since 2021.
“Playing in your home conditions, you want to give yourself the best chance of bringing yourselves into the game more. And that’s what Pakistan felt like,” he said. “They needed to do (that) to give themselves a chance to win, so absolutely no complaints whatsoever.”
Pakistan’s ploy of making dry spin wickets with the help of industrial-sized fans and outdoor heaters nullified England’s brilliant start to the series when it racked 823-7 declared to win the first test by an innings and 47 runs.
The selection committee recalled spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan after 10 months and the slow bowlers claimed 39 of the 40 wickets in the last two tests.
“They use their home conditions in their favor,” Stokes said. “Pakistan just played better cricket for a longer period of time than what we did.”
Ali and Khan claimed all 20 wickets in the second test on a recycled wicket before sharing 19 wickets in the final test, which lasted for just seven sessions.
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