Ben Stokes Supports Ollie Pope Following Impressive Century Against Zimbabwe
Stokes Backs Pope After Century
Ben Stokes, the captain of the England cricket team, has expressed his support for vice-captain Ollie Pope after the latter's remarkable century against Zimbabwe. Pope's impressive score of 171 at Trent Bridge played a crucial role in England's convincing victory in their 2025 home season opener, where they triumphed by an innings and 45 runs within three days.
The one-off Test, originally planned for four days, showcased England's dominance as they declared their first innings at 565-6, bolstered by centuries from key players Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, and Pope. This performance effectively dispelled any doubts regarding Crawley and Pope, who had been under scrutiny prior to the match due to the return of young talent Jacob Bethell from the IPL ahead of the upcoming five-Test series against India.
During a pre-match press conference, Stokes seemed to fuel speculation when he praised Bethell, stating, 'I think you put two and two together and you probably know what’s going to happen.' However, he later clarified that his remarks were intended to indicate Bethell's return to the squad, not necessarily implying a change in the starting lineup.
Stokes told the BBC, 'There’s always someone under the microscope. I felt it was being spun to fit a certain narrative. I was asked a simple question about Bethell, and what I said ended up fueling an agenda. I made it very clear to Popey the night before the match that his spot wasn’t in question. He’s my vice-captain, and he’s been brilliant at number three. I’m really proud of the way he played.'
Bashir's Breakthrough Performance
In a standout performance, young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir played a key role in securing the match, achieving a career-best 6-81. Despite a challenging start to his domestic season, where he struggled to secure a spot in Somerset’s first team and had a brief loan stint at Glamorgan, the selectors' faith in the 21-year-old proved to be well-placed.
Bashir's overall match figures of nine wickets not only earned him the Player of the Match title but also made him the youngest England bowler to reach 50 Test wickets.
Stokes commented on Bashir's rapid ascent, saying, 'It’s a strange story, and I understand why people might find it hard to believe. But the choices around selection, backing players—those are ours to make. If he keeps performing like this, people will eventually see why we have such faith in him.'
Memorable Fielding Moments at Trent Bridge
Saturday's play also featured an extraordinary fielding moment from Harry Brook, who executed a stunning diving catch in the slips to dismiss Wesley Madhevere off Stokes' bowling. This moment drew parallels to Stokes’ own iconic one-handed catch at the same venue in 2015 during Stuart Broad’s legendary 8-15 spell in the Ashes.
Reflecting on the catch, Stokes remarked, 'Broad told me after the game he had the same feeling back then. He thought the ball was racing for four, and then I took that catch. This time, I thought it was four—and Brook just pulled it off. It was an absolutely incredible catch.'