Pope hails Pakistan thrashing as ‘special win’ for England

MULTAN: Captain Ollie Pope hailed England´s milestone-laden first Test thrashing of Pakistan in Multan on Friday as “a special win”.

England played their trademark aggressive cricket to amass the fourth-highest Test total of 823-7 declared, spurred by a Harry Brook and Joe Root´s record partnership. Brook´s masterful 317 alongside Root´s record-breaking 262 -- that made him England´s highest Test run scorer -- gave the visitors a 267-run lead.

England´s bowlers, led by spinner Jack Leach then set to work demolishing Pakistan´s batting line-up on a lifeless track. “Everyone knows what a special win that was,” said Pope after Leach bagged all three wickets on the last day to finish with 4-30 to secure an innings and 47-run victory.

The win is England´s fourth consecutive Test triumph on Pakistan soil, after a 3-0 whitewash two years ago. England had only won two away Tests against Pakistan in the previous 61 years.

Pope, who is standing in as captain for the injured Ben Stokes, said for him it was “one of the top four wins.” “This win would be right up there,” said Pope who also led England in a 2-1 win over Sri Lanka last month.

“I can think of Islamabad (Rawalpindi against Pakistan in 2022), Hyderabad (against India this year) and Trent Bridge (against New Zealand in 2022)... and this is right up there with the rest of them too.”

Pope lauded Brook and Root for setting up the mammoth total. “Credit to those two Yorkshiremen yesterday,” said Pope of the pair who hail from the northern England county. “In another situation, you´d play a few more shots once you´re past your hundred naturally, but they knew how important it was to get us up to that massive score, so credit to them.”

After 1,379 runs were scored for just 17 wickets, England´s bowlers turned the match on its head with pacer Chris Woakes dismissing Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique with the first ball of the second innings.

Salman Agha with 63 and Aamer Jamal with 55 not out took the game to the last day before Pakistan folded for 220. “The way the bowlers bowled in this heat was phenomenal,” said Pope of the attack with Gus Atkinson taking 2-46 and debutant Brydon Carse finishing with 2-66. The second Test will also be in Multan from Tuesday while the third and final in Rawalpindi from October 24.