Watch: Substitute keeper Ollie Pope takes one-handed stunner late on Day 5 to propel England to win

The standing England wicketkeeper made a wonderful tryst with the gloves at Rawalpindi to give his side a crucial breakthrough. 
 By Kashish Chadha Dec 5, 2022, 17:08 IST
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Forced into job as England's substitute wicketkeeper after injury to Ben Foakes, Ollie Pope made an instant impact on the all-important final day's play in the Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan on Monday (December 5). 

Pope took an excellent diving catch to his left after Pakistan tailender Zahid Mahmood fended a short ball from the great James Anderson down the leg side. Despite the insignificant connection on the willow, it became a tough catch for Pope, who, however, was good enough to grab it and give his team an important breakthrough. 

On an up and down Day 5 track in Pindi, Anderson banged the ball in short, making Mahmood jump up to try and cover for the bounce. But he could never get in control of his stroke to the fine-leg and edged the ball to Ollie Pope while the England keeper dived full-stretched to pick up the catch. 

Pope, who doesn't keep wickets on a regular basis, made his presence felt in what is an usual spot for him in the field, leaving England on the brink of a historic Test win in Rawalpindi in their first visit to the country in 17 years. 

Ollie Pope's brilliant grab 

The excellent catch was on display on the second ball of the 88th over in the Pakistan run-chase as shadows lengthened in Pindi and England took to the opposition lower-order with skill and determination to go for the kill. 

The Anderson versus Mahmood bout was always going to go one way sooner rather than later and the England legend invariably had the Pakistan spinner under trouble with a short ball, which fended to the keeper. 

Watch: Joe Root bats left-handed in boring Rawalpindi Test to entertain fans


Present there, Pope dived to his left in a great piece of athleticism and executed a superb catch to close-in England's margin of victory, leaving them two more wickets shy of a memorable triumph. 

In an obviously uneasy task, Pope substituted to perfection for Ben Foakes' absence with the gloves and took a brilliant catch to infuse a sense of happiness and jubilation amidst the rest of the England camp as they could sense victory. 

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