Young Spinner Shoaib Bashir's Memorable Lord's Victory Moment

London, Aug 18 (PTI): Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir will forever cherish the moment he dismissed India's Mohammed Siraj to secure England's victory in the Lord’s Test. He credited former teammate Moeen Ali for inspiring him to use the carrom ball. The 21-year-old, sidelined from the remaining series due to a fractured little finger, had already removed Siraj with the carrom ball at Edgbaston. Skipper Ben Stokes called upon Bashir for the crucial moment, and the young spinner didn’t let him down, outsmarting Siraj with a spinning delivery that caused the wild celebrations that followed.

Bashir had met Moeen Ali at Edgbaston, where Ali's encouragement gave him the confidence to deploy the carrom ball. "Moeen is someone I've always admired. When he told me to back myself, it was significant," Bashir told The Sunday Times. After Moeen's visit to England’s training camp, Bashir's belief grew, enabling him to execute the variation effectively. "I dismissed Siraj with it again (stumped in the first innings) with a slow ball around 43 to 44 mph," he said. Since then, Bashir has maintained contact with Ali, calling the English all-rounder a legend in the challenging environment for off-spinners in England.

Beneath the pressure of chasing 193, India was floundering at 112/8 on the final day, but Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 61 kept hopes alive. Bashir, bowling with a strapped left-hand, found a way through Siraj’s defenses in a tense make-or-break situation. The delivery spun back, clipped Siraj's leg stump, and triggered jubilant scenes among the English squad.

Bashir detailed his enthusiasm, "Despite our chances, we couldn't manage that crucial wicket. Stokesy knew my eagerness, gave me the nod while I was on the bench. My hand cooperated when bowling. Bringing in Joe Root to silly point really increased the pressure on Siraj, and spinning the ball with maximum revs was crucial. The ball luckily bounced and spun, eventually derailing Siraj."

The moment at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground remains vivid for Bashir and will have lasting significance. "I couldn't initially see the bail coming off from my angle. I reacted to everyone else's reaction. That scene stays with me—it's truly unbeatable at cricket’s mecca in front of a packed stadium."

Post-match, Bashir reflected on his injury, sustained when attempting a return catch from Jadeja during India’s first innings. Even with pain, he partook in a crucial partnership with Jofra Archer, contributing two runs in a tense 22-run victory for England. "Post-injury, a scan confirmed the severity, forcing reliance on pain-killers. Batting discussions were nonexistent; I volunteered to add those critical runs despite my condition."

Absent for the rest of the series, Bashir watched as India clawed back. His successor, Liam Dawson, couldn’t secure any wickets at Old Trafford, leading to a 427/6 Indian declaration and a drawn match. Reflecting on the series and his ten wickets at an average of 54.1, Bashir acknowledged the invaluable learning experience against elite players, expressing satisfaction with his performance.