Following England’s innings victory, Ben Stokes addressed rising media speculation about Ollie Pope’s spot, calling it baseless and driven by external narratives. Pope, who scored a century, remains central to the team, Stokes said.
The captain clarified that comments about Jacob Bethell returning from IPL duty had been misread. “He’s coming back into the squad, not replacing anyone,” said Stokes. He described Pope as someone whose leadership and game awareness are crucial, especially when Stokes is busy bowling.
At the heart of England’s bowling success was Shoaib Bashir, who dismantled Zimbabwe’s middle order with finesse. “He’s naturally gifted, and only getting better,” Stokes added, fueling excitement about the spinner’s future in red-ball cricket.
