The Rawalpindi Test between Pakistan and England was in danger of getting postponed as several players in the visiting camp got hit by a virus and fell sick.

However, the Test match got underway as scheduled on Thursday (December 1) and the Ben Stokes-led side created history on the opening day itself.

Opting to bat first, England rode on centuries from Zak Crawley (122), Ben Duckett (107), Ollie Pope (108) and Harry Brook (101*) to pile up 506/4 at stumps on Day 1.

With this attacking display, the Three Lions become the first team to score 500 runs on the opening day of a Test match.

After the day’s play, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar showered rich praise on England’s Test coach Brendon McCullum and mentioned the ‘Bazball’ theory.

Taking to Twitter, Akhtar posted a video and wondered if England players have set a world record despite being unwell, what they could have done if they were fit and fine?

“Thankfully, the England players are unwell, as the news reports said. Yeh tabiyat theek nahi hai to 500 maar diye, tabiyat theek hoti to bohot bura haal karte (They scored 500 when they are sick. They would have thrashed us if they were fit and fine),” said Shoaib in the video.

“Their [England’s] coach Brendon McCullum doesn’t believe in batting slowly in Test cricket. He asks his players to score run-a-ball. England have playing aggressive cricket since he came to the helm. They don’t stop. Debutant Liam Livingstone will bat at No. 7, so they have depth in their batting line-up. So, I think, Pakistan also needs to change the mindset,” he added.

“It’s a young team, full of innocent people. But Test cricket is actually very bruising. Pakistan need to assess where they are standing because it’s not easy. It wasn’t pleasing to see our kids getting hammered,” Shoaib concluded.

Here’s the video: