Ben Stokes praises Shoaib Bashir after series-winning performance against West Indies

England skipper Ben Stokes has lavished praise on 20-year-old off-spinner Shoaib Bashir following his exceptional performance in the second innings of the Trent Bridge Test against the West Indies. 

Bashir's outstanding display played a crucial role in helping England secure the series victory, with his impressive seven-wicket haul across both innings.

As the West Indies set out to chase a target of 385 runs in the second innings, Bashir stepped up brilliantly. He bowled 11.1 overs, taking five wickets for just 41 runs, and was instrumental in England's win. Reflecting on Bashir's contribution, Stokes highlighted the young spinner's remarkable talent and relentless drive to improve.

"He has got so much talent, and he's got an unbelievable desire to get better, his intent is to always take wickets and never just to hold an end up. It's really good for a young guy to put in a performance that wins England a Test. He was pretty emotional at the end. It's a pretty cool day for him. He has shown the world what he can do,” Stokes said.

Bashir's journey to the England squad began when Stokes saw videos of him bowling to Alastair Cook on social media platform X. Despite not being a regular for Somerset at the time, Bashir's skills impressed Stokes enough to include him in the squad for a tour of the subcontinent.

During the series in India, Bashir took 17 wickets in three Tests, including five-wicket hauls in Ranchi and Dharamsala. His success solidified Stokes' belief in his potential, and he has continued to excel.

"The decisions we make are all based around not only how far we think talent can take a player, but if we think they're good enough for international cricket straight away. Bash showed what he could do in India with conditions in his favour, but the pitch this week didn't really offer much for spin and he has taken seven wickets in the match,” he further added.