Joe Root celebrated his inaugural Test triumph as the appointed full‑time England captain, steering his side to a commanding win by an innings and 103 runs. Pakistan were bowled out for just 135 before the tea break on the third day at Headingley, sealing a comprehensive defeat. The visitors, who had been bundled out for 171 in just 48.1 overs on day one, could not recover. In their second innings they lasted a mere 37.3 overs, collapsing under the relentless pressure of England’s bowlers after the home side posted a solitary total of 409.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer, who had a shaky start in the first innings, turned the tide dramatically. He struck early, reducing Pakistan to 13 for 2, while after lunch Josh Tongue unleashed a three‑wicket spell that included the dismissal of Shan Masood (29) and effectively extinguished any hope of the tourists forcing a fourth day.
**Score summary** - Pakistan 1st innings: 171 all out (48.1 overs) – top scores: Abdullah Shafique 61, Imam‑ul‑Haq 42; England bowlers: Josh Tongue 5‑46, Ollie Robinson 5‑51. - England 1st innings: 409 all out (89.5 overs) – major contributions: Harry Brook 91, Jordan Cox 73, Joe Root 66, Dan Lawrence 51; Pakistan bowlers: Ali Usman 5‑95, Khurram Shahzad 3‑133. - Pakistan 2nd innings: 135 all out (37.3 overs) – Mohammad Rizwan 41; England bowlers: Ollie Robinson 3‑29, Josh Tongue 3‑43, Jofra Archer 3‑50, Gus Atkinson 1‑11. Root’s fielding also earned praise.
A sharp catch by Azan Awais (caught off Archer at leg‑slip) and a spectacular grab by Saud Shakeel (caught off Tongue in an unconventional backward‑square position) highlighted England’s athleticism as they overwhelmed a relatively inexperienced Pakistani side. Gus Atkinson, who finished with figures of 1‑11, dismissed the top‑scoring Rizwan (41) and helped England maintain pressure. The match concluded with Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue sharing eight wickets between them, while Archer and Lawrence wrapped up the final dismissals. England’s recent form has been mixed: this victory marks only their third win in the last eleven Tests.
A win in the upcoming second Test at Lord's – scheduled for Thursday with the first ball at 11 am on Sky Sports – would deliver England their first series triumph since the 2‑1 success in New Zealand in December 2024. Earlier, they had thrashed Zimbabwe in a one‑off at Trent Bridge, but they have also suffered two defeats and a draw in their last three multi‑match series, including a 2‑2 stalemate against India, a 4‑1 loss in Australia, and a 2‑1 home defeat to New Zealand. The next challenges for Root’s captaincy are already on the horizon.
While Pakistan’s limited depth and lack of a game‑changing factor may have eased England’s path, more demanding tests await in South Africa later this winter – Stephen Fleming’s first series as England’s permanent head coach – and the looming Ashes series next summer. Nevertheless, the opening Test provided a promising start. England’s run‑rate of 4.55 runs per over was driven more by Pakistan’s erratic bowling and sub‑par fielding than by any radical “Bazball” approach.
Harry Brook displayed admirable composure, crafting a brisk 91 off 93 balls on his home ground, while the half‑centuries from Root, Brook, Lawrence and the recalled Jordan Cox underscored the batting depth. Both Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue recorded five‑wicket hauls in the first innings, showcasing England’s relentless bowling attack. Jamie Smith’s dismissal for 25, caught off a short ball from Khurram Shahzad, was a rare low point for England as they entered day three at 366‑8, still leading by 195 runs.
Around the time of Smith’s wicket, Archer (23 not out) and Tongue (8) added a few flashy boundaries, with Archer even striking the only six of the match off Shahzad’s delivery. Archer then targeted Pakistan’s opening pair, forcing Imam‑ul‑Haq into a glove‑through error and later dismissing Azan Awais, who had narrowly escaped a pair after being given out lbw to Robinson on the very first ball of the match. Pakistan’s middle order attempted a brief resurgence: Abdullah Shafique (15) and Shan Masood steadied the innings, but Shafique edged a Robinson delivery to Brook at second slip just before lunch, ending his stay.
Tongue then demolished Saud Shakeel, Masood and stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha (who was covering for the injured Babar Azam) in quick succession. Masood was caught at slip and Salman was out lbw to a sharp delivery in the same over. Ali Usman, who had taken a five‑wicket haul – one of the few bright spots for Pakistan over three challenging days – fell to a spectacular diving catch by Jordan Cox off a ball that had bounced off Smith’s thigh.
The tourists were effectively done. Pakistan were eight down when Rizwan, in a bizarre moment, offered a tail‑ender, Khurram (8), a simple catch to Robinson just one ball into an over; the No 9 nicked it, adding to the cascade of errors from Salman’s side. Looking ahead, the second Test at Lord’s will be streamed live on Sky Sports and the NOW platform, with all matches beginning at 11 am UK time. England will aim to capitalize on this momentum, hoping to secure a series win and build confidence for the tougher assignments that lie ahead, including the South African tour under Fleming and the forthcoming Ashes challenge.