England skipper Ben Stokes faced a moment of confusion during a press conference ahead of the third Test against Pakistan. A Pakistani reporter struggled to articulate a question about England’s impressive 823-run total in the first Test, leading to Stokes requesting the question to be repeated three times.
Despite the language barrier, Stokes remained composed and later apologized to the reporter for any miscommunication. England, looking to bounce back from their defeat in the second Test, will face a spin-friendly pitch in Rawalpindi. Stokes expressed confidence in his trio of spinners, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir, and Rehan Ahmed.
Pakistan, on the other hand, have retained their spin-heavy bowling lineup, including Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood. With Pakistan hoping to build on their spin success from the previous match and England looking to dominate again, the pitch conditions will be crucial.
Stokes emphasized the importance of batting first, as spin will become more significant as the match progresses. Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie echoed Stokes’s sentiments, stating that the near-bald pitch is expected to favor slower bowlers.
A victory for Pakistan would signal a significant turnaround in fortunes after a disappointing year in international cricket. Both teams will be looking to take advantage of the home conditions and secure a crucial win in the decisive encounter.
