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How Ben Stokes Outfoxed Saim Ayub With Masterplan During 2nd Test In Multan?

Saim Ayub's wicket in 2nd Test vs ENG (Source:@kingdom_virat1/X.com)Saim Ayub's wicket in 2nd Test vs ENG (Source:@kingdom_virat1/X.com)

Saim Ayub is one of the most talented young batters in Pakistan and a lot is expected from him as the 'Men in Green' look to rebuild their team after some disastrous results in recent times. He failed in the opening Test against England, but displayed great composure in the first innings of the second Test to bail his side out of trouble.

Pakistan lost two early wickets at the score of 19 and it looked like they would crumble under pressure again. However, Saim Ayub stood tall and scored a valiant 77 and batted beautifully by mixing caution with aggression. He was set for a century, but England too were persistent and came up with a masterplan.

Ben Stokes Shows Off His Captaincy Genius

Just before the Tea break, England came up with a plan to Test the patience of Saim Ayub. The pacers, Potts and Stokes kept bowling length deliveries, angling across the left-hander. He played at a few and left some. Then, in the over where he lost his wicket, the same plan continued, but a wide slip, a silly mid off and a short cover fielder was placed to keep Ayub thinking. The fourth and fifth ball were length deliveries by Potts but the final ball of the over was a full one and Saim Ayub tentatively chipped it straight to mid off. 

He played a half-hearted drive because of silly mid off and short cover fielders and it was a brilliant display of Test captaincy by Ben Stokes.

The wicket broke a brilliant 149-run stand between Saim Ayub and Kamran Ghulam and it was a classic example of how bowling teams needs to play with the mind of the batter and his skills when the things are not going their way in Test cricket.