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In a historic and shocking turn of events, Pakistan became the first cricket team to lose a Test match by an innings despite scoring more than 500 runs in the first innings. England, led by Ollie Pope, delivered a commanding performance in the opening Test of the three-match series, defeating Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs.
This result has raised eyebrows around the cricketing world as no team before had suffered such a defeat after posting a massive 556 runs in their first innings. England’s remarkable comeback, both with the bat and ball, left the home side stunned in Multan.
England’s Record-Breaking Partnership
The foundation of England’s dominant victory was laid by an extraordinary 454-run partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook. This stand, which began on Day 3, decimated Pakistan’s bowlers and broke the 67-year-old record for the highest partnership by an English pair in Test cricket. Root played a magnificent innings of 262, while Brook went on to surpass Virender Sehwag’s highest individual score in Multan, scoring 317 from just 322 balls.
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Their combined efforts took England to a colossal first-innings total of 823/7 declared, giving them a commanding lead of 267 runs. The English batters wore out Pakistan’s bowling attack with a blend of orthodox and innovative strokes, including reverse scoops, flicks, and cover drives that sent the fielders chasing the ball to the boundary.
Pakistan’s Struggle in the Second Innings
When Pakistan came out to bat in their second innings, they were already under immense pressure. The hosts crumbled under England’s disciplined bowling attack, losing wickets at regular intervals. Chris Woakes made an early breakthrough, dismissing Abdullah Shafique for a golden duck.
Skipper Shan Masood attempted to steady the innings but was soon sent back to the pavilion by Gus Atkinson. Saim Ayub played a few attacking strokes but was unable to make a lasting impact. The major blow came when Babar Azam, Pakistan’s star batter, failed to capitalize on an opportunity to turn around his string of low scores. He was dismissed for just 5 runs, edging a delivery from Atkinson that nipped away off a crack.
Pakistan continued to lose wickets rapidly. Saud Shakeel and Mohammed Rizwan departed quickly, leaving the side struggling at 152/6. The only resistance came from Agha Salman, who was unbeaten on 41 at the end of play. Spinner Abrar Ahmed, who was hospitalized due to high fever, did not come out to bat in the second innings.
England’s Bowling Attack Seals the Victory
On the final day, it didn’t take long for England to wrap up Pakistan’s innings. England’s spinners played a crucial role in cleaning up the tail, with Jack Leach claiming the last three wickets to finish with figures of 3/42. Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 220, handing England a comprehensive victory by an innings and 47 runs.
England’s bowling attack, led by Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes, remained relentless throughout the match, applying consistent pressure on Pakistan’s batters. Woakes’ incisive opening spell and Atkinson’s ability to exploit the conditions kept Pakistan from building partnerships in their second innings.
Joe Root Hundreds since Pakistan last won at home
The last time Pakistan won a home Test match, Joe Root had amassed 19 Test centuries and 8,249 runs in his career. Since then, the prolific England batter has added 16 more hundreds to his tally, taking his total to 35 centuries and an impressive 12,664 runs, cementing his place as one of the all-time greats in Test cricket.
The Aftermath
This defeat has left Pakistan’s camp in disarray as they seek answers after such a monumental collapse following a strong first-innings performance. The hosts will need to regroup quickly, with two more Tests remaining in the series. England, on the other hand, has taken a 1-0 lead and will be full of confidence heading into the second match.
For Pakistan, the focus will now be on correcting their mistakes and finding a way to respond in the next match. England’s comprehensive victory, highlighted by Root and Brook’s record-breaking stand, will go down as one of the most memorable Test performances in recent times.
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Brief Scores:
- Pakistan: 556 & 220 (Agha Salman 41*, Saud Shakeel 29; Jack Leach 3-42, Gus Atkinson 2-28)
- England: 823/7 decl. (Harry Brook 317, Joe Root 262; Saim Ayub 2-101)
This Test match will be remembered not just for England’s incredible victory but also for the fact that Pakistan, despite scoring over 500 runs in their first innings, could not avoid an innings defeat, a feat never before seen in the history of Test cricket.
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