Shoaib Bashir shines in England’s big win over Zimbabwe in four-day Test

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England’s return to Test cricket after a five-month hiatus was marked by a commanding performance at Trent Bridge, where Shoaib Bashir’s career-best six-wicket haul dismantled Zimbabwe and secured an innings and 45 runs victory inside three days of the one-off four-day Test.

The hosts set the tone with a formidable first-innings total of 565 for 6 declared, built on the back of centuries from Ollie Pope (171) and Zak Crawley (124). Pope’s fluent knock anchored the innings, while contributions from Harry Brook and others ensured England posted a score that put Zimbabwe immediately on the back foot.

Zimbabwe, missing a key player due to injury and effectively batting with ten men, showed resilience in patches. In their first innings, opener Brian Bennett was the standout, smashing his nation’s fastest Test century off just 97 balls before eventually falling for 139. Despite Bennett’s heroics, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 265, with Bashir and Ben Stokes sharing the spoils—Bashir claiming 3 for 62 and Stokes making a successful return to bowling after injury with 2 for 11.

Asked to follow on, Zimbabwe’s second innings featured a determined 88 from Sean Williams and a solid 60 from Sikandar Raza. Williams, in particular, counterattacked on a flat pitch, forging a 122-run partnership with Ben Curran (37) as England’s seamers struggled for penetration during the morning session. However, England’s persistence paid off as wickets began to tumble after lunch.

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The turning point came when Bashir, the 21-year-old off-spinner, found his rhythm. He struck crucial blows on either side of lunch, removing set batters and exposing the tail. Bashir’s figures of 6 for 81 in the second innings were not only his best in Test cricket but also saw him reach 50 Test wickets, making him the youngest England bowler to achieve the milestone and only the fourth to claim three five-wicket hauls before turning 22.

Bashir’s control and guile were evident as he wrapped up Zimbabwe’s second innings for 255, sealing England’s victory and earning widespread praise for his maturity and skill. His performance was complemented by a stunning catch from Harry Brook at second slip and a vital contribution from captain Stokes, who looked fit and effective with both bat and ball after his recent hamstring surgery.

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