Stokes and Duckett complete historic England whitewash in Pakistan

By Sports Desk December 20, 2022

Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett took just 38 minutes on day four of the third Test to see England to an eight-wicket victory against Pakistan.

It completed a 3-0 series win for the tourists, the first time Pakistan have ever lost every match of a home Test series.

Starting Tuesday needing another 55 runs to chase down the overall target of 167 in Karachi with eight wickets remaining, Stokes and Duckett made a careful start initially, with just one boundary coming in the first four overs.

Back-to-back fours from Duckett off the bowling of Abrar Ahmed were followed by more steady batting from the pair, before Duckett hit the winning runs off Mohammad Wasim with another four to finish on 82 not out.

After securing what was England's ninth win in 10 Test matches since he and Brendon McCullum took the reins, Stokes – who ended unbeaten on 35 – described his team's performances as "perfect", adding: "We've got a process we want to play but the challenge was the different pitches for every Test.

"We stuck to our gameplans and adapted really well."

His opposite number, Babar Azam, was reflective but could not hide his disappointment at the result. 

"Definitely disappointment as a team," he said. "First innings, we lost back-to-back wickets, we were good in batches, but that moment cost us.

"Bowling [was also a problem], definitely, your best pacer [Shaheen Shah Afridi] is not fit so that cost us. A lot of positive things in this series, but also things that we lack."

Duckett's star continues to shine

The Nottinghamshire batsman did not exactly take his opportunity in 2016 when he faced Bangladesh and India, scoring just 110 across four Test matches against the pair.

Finally getting back into the England team six years later, he looked far more accomplished, scoring 357 across six innings in Pakistan at an average of 71.40, and hitting at least 100 runs in all three Test matches, before ultimately seeing his team home with another impressive outing in Karachi.

Brook announces himself on Test scene

Stokes and McCullum appear to have a gem in Harry Brook, who won the player of the match and series awards.

Speaking at the presentation, the 23-year-old, who scored three centuries in the series and averaged 93.60 runs, said: "This was probably my best tour so far, to win 3-0 here, no-one's done it before, it was phenomenal from the lads."

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