Alastair Cook says Pakistan's Lord's celebration 'not pleasant '
Pakistan clinched a historic victory over England at Lord’s by 75 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match Test series. After completing their victory, they did a series of push-ups as a tribute to their army camp which they were a part of prior to this series. However, England captain Alastair Cook wasn't impressed by their celebratory gesture, admitting after the match that it didn't make for pleasant viewing.
Cook said that it was not something an opposition team wanted to see, especially after going down in a Test match.
Also read: Why did the Pakistan Team do pushups after the win against England?
“You don’t take any offence, but certainly at that emotive time, it’s not pleasant viewing. Certainly, when you’ve lost a game of cricket for the first 20 minutes or so it’s not pleasant,” he said.
“They (Pakistan) are entitled to do what they want. It’s united them and shows what a challenge we’ve got. Hopefully, the cricketing Gods might turn (in our favour at Old Trafford).” Cook added.
Earlier in the match Pakistan captain, Misbah-ul-Haq did a series of 10 push-ups after completing his century.
“The team was really hoping that we get a chance because I got a chance after scoring a hundred,” said the 42-year-old Pakistan skipper after completing his century. His innings re-wrote history as he became the oldest player to score a Test hundred in the last 82 years.
He further added, “I did that and everybody wanted to do that. That sends a small tribute to all those army men who were working really hard (with us),”
“It is a dream to play at Lord’s especially getting a hundred. To have your name on the honours board is something special for all cricketers,” he said. “I rate this innings at the top in Test cricket. I am really happy about that.”
To score a Test century despite being 42 years old speaks volumes about the dedication of the man towards the game. Misbah became the fifth Pakistani batsman to put up his name on the honours board after Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammed Yousuf, Hanif Mohammed and Mohsin Khan.
It was the veteran Younis Khan who led the Pakistan team in their series of push-ups. The entire sequence was followed by a military-style salute facing the famous Lord’s balcony.
After their victory in the first Test, Pakistan might prove to be a big threat in the remainder of the series, and they are strong contenders to emerge victorious at the end of it all. The war of words between the opposition captains might only get more intense with each passing match.