England’s new permanent Test captain, Joe Root, celebrated his first win in the role with an emphatic innings‑and‑103‑run triumph over Pakistan at Headingley, wrapping up the third day with the visitors all out for just 135. The hosts had already posted a massive 409 in their only innings, setting the tone for a one‑sided contest that highlighted England’s renewed vigor under the fresh leadership. On day one, Pakistan’s batting line‑up collapsed dramatically, bowled out for 171 in just 48.1 overs. England’s bowlers, especially the likes of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, applied relentless pressure, forcing early wickets and never allowing the visitors any breathing space.
Archer, who had a modest showing in the first innings, turned the tables dramatically in the second innings, picking up three wickets for 50 runs and delivering a crucial early strike that reduced Pakistan to 13‑2. Tongue followed up with a three‑wicket burst after lunch, dismissing Shan Masood for 29 and effectively dashing any hopes of the tourists extending the match beyond day three. Key figures for Pakistan in the first innings were Abdullah Shafique, who top‑scored with 61, and Imam‑ul‑Haq, who added 42.
However, England’s seam attack, led by Josh Tongue’s 5‑46 and Ollie Robinson’s 5‑51, kept the pressure relentless. England’s batting response was anchored by solid contributions: Harry Brook struck a fluent 91, Jordan Cox contributed 73, Joe Root made 66 and Dan Lawrence added a valuable 51. The innings was rounded off by a five‑wicket haul from Ali Usman (5‑95) and a hefty 3‑133 from Khurram Shahzad for Pakistan.
In the second innings, Pakistan’s batting crumbled even faster, bowled out for 135 in 37.3 overs. Mohammad Rizwan, the only Pakistani batsman to reach a half‑century, managed 41 before falling to a tidy spell from Gus Atkinson (1‑11). The English bowlers shared the spoils: Ollie Robinson (3‑29), Josh Tongue (3‑43), Jofra Archer (3‑50) and Atkinson each claimed wickets, with the latter’s economical spell helping to seal the victory. Root’s field placements also paid dividends.
Azan Awais (9) was caught by Archer at leg‑slip, and Saud Shakeel (14) fell to a sharp catch by Dan Lawrence from an unorthodox square‑leg position. These moments underscored England’s aggressive fielding strategy, complementing their dominant bowling display.
The win marks England’s third success in their last eleven Tests. A victory in the upcoming second Test at Lord’s, scheduled for Thursday at 11 am and broadcast live on Sky Sports, would secure their first series triumph since the 2‑1 win in New Zealand in December 2024. Although England had convincingly beaten Zimbabwe in a one‑off match at Trent Bridge last summer, recent form has been mixed, with two defeats and a draw in their last three multi‑match series – a 2‑2 stalemate against India, a 4‑1 loss in Australia, and a 2‑1 home series defeat to New Zealand.
Looking ahead, England will face a tougher test of Root’s captaincy in the three‑match series against Pakistan, especially if the visitors manage to regroup. More challenging still will be the upcoming South Africa tour in the winter, which will be Stephen Fleming’s first series as England’s permanent head coach, and the much‑anticipated Ashes series next summer. Despite the dominant performance, England’s run‑rate of 4.55 runs per over was aided more by Pakistan’s erratic bowling and occasional fielding lapses than by any revolutionary “Bazball” batting approach. Harry Brook’s composed 91 off 93 balls on his home ground was a highlight, showing restraint and timing.
The first‑innings five‑wicket hauls for both Robinson and Tongue, combined with half‑centuries from Root, Brook, Lawrence and the recalled Jordan Cox, provided solid foundations for the win. A low point came when Jamie Smith was dismissed for 25, caught off a short ball from Khurram Shahzad (3‑133) to mid‑wicket.
At that stage England were 366‑8, leading by 195 runs. Nonetheless, Archer and Tongue continued to add quick boundaries, with Archer hitting the only six of the match off Shahzad.
Archer’s aggressive spell forced Pakistan’s openers into a scramble, leading Imam‑ul‑Haq to glove through to Smith before being dismissed, and later extracting a wicket of Azan Awais, who had narrowly escaped a pair after being bowled by Robinson on the very first ball of the match. Abdullah Shafique (15) and Shan Masood steadied the innings briefly, but Shafique edged a Robinson delivery to Brook at second slip just before lunch, ending his resistance.
Tongue then ran through the middle order, dismissing Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha (who was covering for the injured Babar Azam) in quick succession. Agha was bowled by a sharp nip‑backer in the same over as Masood’s slip catch. Ali Usman, who had taken five wickets – one of Pakistan’s few bright spots – fell to a diving slip catch by Jordan Cox after a ball deflected off Smith’s thigh. Pakistan were eight down when Rizwan, attempting a risky shot, exposed tail‑ender Khurram Shahzad (8) to a Robinson delivery, resulting in a nicked dismissal.
This was one of many errors that plagued the Pakistani side throughout the Yorkshire encounter. The upcoming second Test at Lord’s promises to be a crucial fixture for both teams.
England will aim to consolidate their momentum and claim the series, while Pakistan will look to bounce back and avoid a whitewash. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app. Overall, this opening Test provided an encouraging start for England under Root’s captaincy. The bowlers displayed relentless aggression, the batsmen offered solid contributions, and the fielding unit executed several crucial catches.
While the opposition lacked depth and experience, the English side will need to maintain focus and adapt as they head into tougher challenges later in the season, including the South African tour and the forthcoming Ashes series, where the true test of their new era will unfold.