Stokes Apologizes for On-Field Frustration Just a Tired, Grumpy

MULTAN: England captain Ben Stokes expressed regret on Friday for his visible frustration during the match a day earlier, acknowledging his emotional outburst on the field.

The visitors faced a challenging third day in Multan, dropping two crucial catches, which allowed Pakistan’s Salman Agha to capitalize. Agha was dropped twice, on scores of four and six, and went on to score a significant half-century, helping Pakistan reach 221 in their second innings.

“No one intends to drop catches, but it shows just how vital they are in these subcontinent conditions where opportunities don’t come around often,” Stokes explained in an interview with Sky Sports.

The England skipper admitted that he had let his emotions get the best of him and apologized to his team. “I actually apologized to the group last night,” he revealed. “It’s the first time in my captaincy that I’ve allowed my emotions to show through my body language as the game progressed.”

Stokes, who missed the first Test in Multan due to injury, expressed disappointment in himself for not maintaining his usual composure. “I owned up to it, and I’m frustrated with myself for letting my emotions out like that. It’s not something I want to do or have others see from me,” he continued.

In a moment of self-reflection, Stokes added: “I told the team it was just me being a tired, grumpy old man last night, but that’s not something they’ll see from me again.”

Looking ahead to the third and final Test in Rawalpindi, set to begin on October 24, Stokes emphasized the importance of staying focused on the future rather than dwelling on the past. “Next week is going to be exciting. I think everyone, both here and back home, has enjoyed watching the series so far. Hopefully, we can secure a win and head home with another series victory,” he concluded.