England completed a historic 3-0 sweep against Pakistan in 40 minutes on matchday four of the final Test in Karachi.
Needing 55 more runs, England took just 11.1 overs to meet their target of 167.
Ben Duckett finished 82 paces, while Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 35, with the two southpaws sharing an unbroken partnership of 73.
England, on their first Test tour to Pakistan in 17 years, became the first visiting team to win three matches in a series in that country.
It also caps a year in which England have undergone a remarkable transformation under captain Stokes – it is their ninth win in 10 matches since Stokes took charge.
Attention will now turn to next summer, when England will try to win the Ashes from Australia.
Stokes’ side will play two Tests against New Zealand in February and then complete their Ashes preparation with a one-off game against Ireland in June. The white ball team has limited tours in South Africa and Bangladesh early next year.
The Boys of Stokes History
Prior to this tour, England had only managed two Test victories in Pakistan from 30 attempts over 61 years. They have now won three in three weeks.
Not only that, but they picked up their first series win against Pakistan outside the UK for 22 years and ended a run of three successive away series defeats dating back to the start of 2021.
It is also only the fourth time in history that England have wiped the slate clean in an away series of three or more Tests.
What makes this achievement all the more remarkable – it is one of England’s greatest away wins – is the turmoil they found themselves in at the start of the year.
When England were hammered in Hobart at the end of a humiliating Ashes and then thrashed at Grenada to fall to a series loss to the West Indies, the idea that they would win six of seven Tests at home and then win 3 -0 in Pakistan was beyond fantasy.
Yet under the inspiring leadership of Stokes and manager Brendon McCullum, England are becoming one of the most feared Test teams in the world.
Their form came too late to reach the final of next year’s World Test Championship, but the clash with Australia is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Ashes series for some time.
Sealed sweep during a historic visit
This series will be long remembered, not just for England’s historic return to Pakistan or the upset scoreline, but for the thrilling cricket played on the pitch.
England’s win on flat ground in Rawalpindi, when they went 506-4 on day one and then knocked out Pakistan in the dying moments of matchday five, was one of their biggest ever wins. all the time. He was nearly matched for drama by the 26-point win in the second Test at Multan.
This third Test was a new challenge – England lost the draw on a ground more suitable for spin bowling, circumstances that have often been their undoing in the past.
Yet they secured their most emphatic victory in a game that will end with the emergence of 18-year-old leg spinner Rehan Ahmed, the youngest man to play a Test for England, who took 5- 48 in Pakistan’s second round. .
Prior to that, England had been put in a strong position by Harry Brook, who made three centuries in the series and gave selectors a tough decision to make when Jonny Bairstow returns with a broken leg.
Throughout the tour, Ollie Robinson cemented his status as one of the world’s finest couture bowlers – it’s the first Test England have won without James Anderson or Stuart Broad since June 2007, there are 15 years and 197 games.
It was also a successful return to Test cricket for fly-half Duckett, who was recalled after a six-year absence.
While Duckett led England’s frantic charge to complete the chase in waning light on Monday night, Tuesday morning was more measured, although Duckett’s sweep had a five-plus scoring rate.
Stokes, tied with McCullum on 107 sixes – the most Test cricket – did everything he could to break the English manager’s record.
It was Duckett who took the winning points, meaning Stokes’ next opportunity for the record high will come in New Zealand – his native country and McCullum’s homeland.
