Ben Stokes Apologises To Teammates: England have suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the 2nd Test match at the Multan Cricket Stadium, as the spin duo of Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali combined for all 20 wickets of English batters in their 152-run win.
In an on-field interview with Sky Sports, Ben Stokes stated that their defeat to Pakistan signified the importance of catches, and that, "he apologised to his teammates" for his dropped chances.
Watch the video here:
Ben Stokes managed to be the highest run-scorer for his side in the 4th innings, but his manner of dismissal was hilarious, as a Nauman Ali delivery beat him all-ends-up and his bat went flying over the short-third leg fielder, as it slipped from his hands in an attempt to launch the delivery for a six, and was thus, stumped out.
Here's What Ben Stokes Said During Post-Match Presentation Ceremony
Ben Stokes (England Captain):
"I think if you look at the entire Test match, the players who found success, both from our side and Pakistan's, were those who applied pressure on the spin bowlers, in particular. Whenever a Pakistan batsman looked to defend or tried to use that as a strategy, they felt they were massively in the game."
"Ben Duckett, with his hundred, showed us the way on how to chase down this total. Pakistan's players who employed sweep shots made it difficult for us to control the run rate and set effective fields. In extreme conditions like that, you have to find a way to negate the spin, which I think we managed to do well in some parts. However, we would have liked to push further, especially myself and a few others who got starts. We could have gotten a bit closer, if not won the game."
"Yeah, I don't like to dwell on hindsight, but nobody means to drop catches. It just goes to show how important it is to take your chances out here. You don't get many opportunities behind the wickets. If you take those chances, the game might have looked a little different. But, you know, no one intends to drop catches."
"Yeah, I thought that, obviously, in conditions like this, spinners will get a lot of attention. However, I was really impressed by how Matthew Potts and Bryden Carse kept charging in, spell after spell, ball after ball, creating a great atmosphere when the spinners needed a break. That's exactly what you want. There's a lot we focus on in terms of attitude and teamwork, and Matthew Potts certainly showed that this week. They consistently felt like a big threat, which is a massive help in these conditions."
"It's great to have gotten through this game. I worked very hard to get fit for it. Nothing can truly prepare you for standing in the field for as long as we did, especially in this heat. But it feels good to have made it through, and I'm looking forward to next week now."