Test team captain Shan Masood expressed that his first victory is always special, especially after facing challenging times.
“For the boys to step up after everything that happened this past week is commendable. We developed a strategy to take 20 wickets, and we executed it successfully,” he said during the post-match ceremony.
Masood reflected on the long wait for this moment: “Three years and 11 months have fueled our hunger. You can’t doubt the effort and commitment from the team, especially after tough times. We implemented our plans and backed them up with solid scores in both innings.”
He added, “We experimented with green seamers against Bangladesh but struggled a bit. There isn’t much cricket in Multan, so we expected some spin. Noman and Sajid are seasoned players who contributed greatly in the field. It’s never easy to replace one of the best batters in the world, but Kamran’s century was special despite the criticism he faced. Agha is one of my favorite players; he’s a true team player, all in for Pakistan. Saim Ayub showed maturity in the first innings.”
England captain Ben Stokes praised his team’s efforts as well, noting, “Ben Duckett’s century in the first innings set the tone for us. In extreme conditions, we had to adapt to the spin. I don’t like to dwell on hindsight—no one intends to drop catches, but opportunities are rare in these conditions.”
Stokes acknowledged the contributions of his fast bowlers: “While spinners often get the spotlight, Carse and Potts kept charging in, creating a great atmosphere when the spinners needed a break. I worked hard to get fit for this game, but nothing can truly prepare you for standing in the field in this heat. It’s been a fantastic series so far, and it’s exciting that it’s going down to the final match.”
