Ben Stokes lauded Shoaib Bashir, stating the 20-year-old off-spinner “showed the world” he belonged in international cricket. Bashir’s remarkable 5-41 performance bowled England to a series-clinching victory over the West Indies in the second Test at Trent Bridge on Sunday.
Bashir’s efforts led to the West Indies collapsing to 143 all out, securing a 241-run win for England and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This marked Bashir’s third five-wicket haul in just five Tests, but his first in England after achieving the feat twice on spin-friendly Indian pitches earlier this year.
Bashir’s achievement was particularly notable as he neither bowled nor scored in England’s innings and 114-run victory in the first Test at Lord’s. In the second Test, he dismissed Kirk McKenzie, Kavem Hodge, and Alick Athanaze in quick succession, followed by Jason Holder and last man Shamar Joseph, as the West Indies, set a target of 385, slumped to 143 all out.
‘Pretty Cool’
“I think what Bash has done today is to show the world what he can do,” said England captain Ben Stokes. “That wicket hardly offered anything for a spinner throughout the whole Test match and look at what he was able to do today.”
Stokes praised Bashir’s ability to vary his pace and use both over-spin and under-spin, showcasing his full repertoire of skills. “He’s got so much talent and the ceiling is so, so high. He’s got an unbelievable desire and a will to get better and learn,” added Stokes.
Stokes emphasized the significance of Bashir’s performance, especially for a young player. “It’s really good for a young guy to come out and put in a performance that wins England a Test match; it’s pretty cool for him.”
Despite his success in India, Bashir initially struggled to find a spot in the Somerset side, leading to a loan to Worcestershire. However, England maintained their faith in him.
“The decisions we make are all based around not only how far we think their talent can take them but whether we think they’re good enough for international cricket straight away,” explained Stokes. “I don’t want to sound like it’s an ‘I told you so’ kind of thing but it sort of is.”
The West Indies, now with only pride to play for in the upcoming third Test at Edgbaston, saw a brief improvement with a first-innings score of 457 in Nottingham. However, they collapsed dramatically in their second innings, losing all 10 wickets in 23 overs.
“The big positive was our first innings, scoring 400 runs was great,” said West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. “The two defeats are gone, but we still have five Test matches remaining for this year. So we keep learning and by the end of the year, we’ll be better off, once we have that correct mindset.”
