And what did he eat before scripting that miraculous win? Takeaway chicken and chocolate bars! Yes, you read that right.
A concussed Smith was ruled out of the third Test, starting at Headingley on Thursday, after being struck in the neck by a vicious bouncer from England paceman Jofra Archer.
The competition involves the nine top-ranked Test nations competing in a league between July 2019 and April 2021, with the top two sides progressing to the final which will be held in England in June 2021.
England's stand-in skipper Jos Buttler top-scored with 59 before their spinners ripped through the Pakistan batting unit to seal a 45-run win in the second Twenty20 International and level the series at 1-1 on Sunday.
Strauss has also called for a change in England's top-order after another disappointing show by the batsmen.
Yorkshire launched an investigation with an independent panel in September to look into the allegations, and a summary of the findings and recommendations was published on Friday.
England's semi-final hopes were dented after they slipped to a 20-run defeat against Sri Lanka.
Rohit Sharma slammed his first Test hundred outside India -- a watchful innings 127 off 256 balls -- to put India in control on Day 3 of the fourth Test match against England.
Rafiq had made allegations of institutional racism against Yorkshire, whom Vaughan formerly captained and Rashid still plays for. He had claimed that Vaughan said to a group of the team's Asian players that there were "too many of you lot, we need to do something about it" before a match in 2009.
'I said before the game that if they bowl a lot at my head then they're not bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind the wicket. And I think that perhaps played into our favour a little bit in this innings'.
'The nadir came in that hour and 20 minutes before lunch on the fifth day of the second Test, which must rank among the worst stuff I've seen from an England Test team in years.'
'I've seen some remarkable cricket moments in my life but that is the best I've seen in over 50 years. @benstokes38 saved the Ashes and gave magical inspirational innings. Even better than his World Cup performance. Well done @ECB_cricket'
What set Stokes' innings apart was not just how he handled the responsibility as England's only hope of salvaging the series, but just how he built his innings over two days.
England batting coach Graham Thorpe said they will not give up hope of saving the third Test against Australia, but a woeful batting display from the hosts on Friday left them with a mountain to climb to regain the Ashes.
A cap worn by Sunil Gavaskar on India's 1971 tour of England, a signed coaching kit donated by Ravi Shastri are among the cricketing memorabilia that are up for grabs at two of Christie's ongoing online auctions.
All-rounder Chris Woakes said he believes England can chase down a record target of 368 on the final day in the fourth Test on Monday as the pitch remains good for batting.
Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik believes the time is ripe for Ravichandran Ashwin to make his first appearance of the series in he fourth Test at The Kia Oval, commencing Thursday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the fourth Test against England?
Senior India opener Rohit Sharma was all praise for Cheteshwar Pujara after his unbeaten knock of 91 on Day 3 in the third Test against England on Friday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the interesting numbers from Day 2 of the India-England Test at Leeds.
Stokes smashed an unbeaten 135 to lift England to an improbable win at the Headingley.
Australia closed in on a victory that will see them retain the Ashes after ending an incredible second day of the third Test with a lead of 283 runs, having bowled out England for an embarrassing 67 in their first innings.
All-rounder Ben Stokes returns to England's squad for the first two Tests against India next month after he missed the two-match series against New Zealand in June following a finger injury he sustained during the Indian Premier League earlier this year.
'It's similar to how it was with Sachin Tendulkar when he was playing. Even 95 was considered a failure.'
England head coach Chris Silverwood on Sunday said "controlled aggression" contributed immensely to their series-levelling win against India in the third Test, days after the players had let their emotions get the better of them at the Lord's.
Former England pacer Darren Gough has compared the mentality of the current Indian side to the Australian outfit of the 1990s, saying Virat Kohli's men know how to 'get a team by the throat and win, win, win'.
India skipper Virat Kohli backed under-fire wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, saying the team management will give him all the space that he needs in the last two Tests of the five-match series against England.
England's leading wicket-taker, who is recuperating from a right calf injury, claimed 1-38 against Durham second XI at Chester on Tuesday.
'When you bowl someone out for less than 100 you're never quite sure whether you've bowled well or if the wicket is not as good as you think it might be. To see both sides bat on it and see the way our openers went about their business just felt so calm.'
Sri Lanka fast bowler Dhammika Prasad has been ruled out of the first Test against England at Headingley starting on Thursday.
Fittingly, Ikram Ali Khil broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for the highest score by an 18-year-old at an ICC Cricket World Cup at Headingley, where the Little Master once broke the mould as Yorkshire's first overseas player in 1992.
Captain Joe Root said conditions at Old Trafford should suit the 6 foot five tall Craig Overton.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes was named the 'Leading Cricketer in the World' in the 2020 edition of the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, the publication said on Wednesday. The 28-year-old played a leading role in England's 50-over World Cup victory at home last year while his brilliant unbeaten knock of 135 helped the side to a thrilling one-wicket win over Australia in the third Ashes Test at Headingley.
England need to prove their critics wrong following the crushing defeat to Pakistan in the opening Test at Lord's last week by targeting a quick turnaround to salvage a draw in the two-match series, skipper Joe Root said.
Match-fixing scandals and payment delay of some foreign players have shattered the image of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) which was launched in 2011, forcing the country's cricket board to take control of the event and rename it the 'Bangabandhu BPL'.
Russell was struck near the right ear when attempting to pull a short ball
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Thursday termed the non-selection of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the Indian lineup as "madness". "The non selection of @ashwinravi99 has to be greatest NON selection we have ever witnessed across 4 Tests in the UK !!! 413 Test wickets & 5 Test 100s !!!! #ENGvIND Madness," tweeted Vaughan.
Greater Manchester Police said two of the men were arrested for causing disruption. They were later released.
Images from Day 5 of the fourth Ashes Test, at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Afghanistan have come very close to a maiden win at this World Cup but skipper Gulbadin Naib has told the batsmen it is their responsibility if the team is to break that duck.
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