Joe Root and Harry Brook shared the highest ever Test partnership for England as the tourists staged a stunning comeback and make history in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan.
Pakistan’s 220 all out on the final day left England victors by an innings and 47 runs. No team in Test history has ever conceded as many as the 556 as England did in Pakistan’s first innings then gone on to win by an innings.
It means England have now won on three successive occasions when they have leaked totals in excess of 500. Only once before have England fielded first, been hit for more runs and gone on to win and that was in 1894.
The turnaround was built on a staggering batting effort, when England amassed their highest total since 1938, 823-7 declared. Brook’s 317 was England’s first triple-century for 34 years and his 454-run partnership with Joe Root, who made 262, their highest in Tests.
Though Pakistan began the fifth day six wickets down, Abrar Ahmed was absent through illness, and England were initially held up by Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal adding 109 for the seventh wicket.
Jack Leach needed only four deliveries to trap Salman lbw for 63, then took a sharp caught-and-bowled to remove Shaheen Shah Afridi. Naseem Shah charged to be stumped, giving Leach 4-30 in his first Test since January.
England have now won four consecutive Tests in Pakistan and can win the series in the second Test on the same ground, beginning on Tuesday.
England Captain Ollie Pope, speaking to BBC Test Match Special: “Amazing. The way Rooty and Brooky batted was phenomenal. Coming off the field after the first innings we knew 550 was a lot of runs.
“We didn’t know how much [the pitch] was going to break up, but it held together pretty nicely and the boys cashed in.
“We had to find a way of taking wickets, as captain you have to try to get creative and set different plans. That was the main challenge for me trying to find a way of taking 10 wickets and being OK with them getting those runs and keeping your head if someone did get in.”
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