England added to Pakistan’s miserable run of form by clinching the first Test in the three-match series in Multan on Friday (11 October). On the fifth and final day of the contest, England bowled Pakistan out for 220 runs and picked up a win by innings and 47 runs.
Pakistan have now lost six Test matches in a row and suffered their seventh home loss in the last nine Tests.
With Abrar Ahmed not batting due to illness, England reduced Pakistan to 220/9 after some early resistance to spark huge celebrations among a small but vocal group of travelling English fans.
Pakistan resumed the day on a precarious 152/6 and Salman Agha was the first to depart in the morning after a defiant 63, with the introduction of Jack Leach helping England snap his 109-run stand with Aamer Jamal.
England’s pace bowlers peppered the two overnight batters with bouncers earlier and Jamal recovered after being hit on the side of the head by a fiery ball from Brydon Carse to bring up his own half-century.
He was then granted a lifeline when stand-in captain Ollie Pope put down a difficult chance at square-leg – England’s fifth dropped catch of the innings – and remained not out on 55.
Leach pulled off a stunning catch off his own bowling to remove Shaheen Afridi before having Naseem Shah stumped to seal the victory.
After Pakistan scored 556 runs in the first innings – helped by centuries from Abdullah Shafique, skipper Shan Masood and Agha – a result seemed improbable.
Then, England broke records aplenty by smashing an enormous 823 on the board led by a triple hundred from Harry Brook (317) and a career-high 262 from Joe Root.
The hosts found themselves under the gun trailing England by 115 runs at the end of the fourth day and they folded under pressure.
The second Test will also be played in Multan and gets underway on 15 October.
#1st #Test #England #inflict #innings #defeat #Pakistan #highscoring #Multan #Test #series #lead #Cricket #News #Times #India
