Joe Root celebrated his inaugural Test win as England's permanent captain, steering the side to an innings and 103‑run triumph over Pakistan at Headingley. The visitors were bundled out for a meagre 135 before the tea break on the third day, completing a dominant performance that saw England dominate every facet of the game. Pakistan’s first innings was a disaster, collapsing for 171 in just 48.1 overs. England responded emphatically, amassing a massive 409 in 89.5 overs, with substantial contributions from Harry Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73), Root himself (66) and Dan Lawrence (51).
The bowlers then turned the tide, ripping through the Pakistani line‑up twice. Jofra Archer, who had a modest return in the first innings, returned to form with figures of 3‑50, breaking the opening partnership early and reducing Pakistan to 13‑2.
After lunch, Josh Tongue produced a three‑wicket burst (3‑43), dismissing Shan Masood for 29 and further dismantling the opposition’s hopes of reaching a fourth day. The detailed scorecard reads as follows: * 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). Top scores: 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).
Top score: Mohammad Rizwan 41. England bowlers: Ollie Robinson 3‑29, Josh Tongue 3‑43, Jofra Archer 3‑50, Gus Atkinson 1‑11. Root’s fielding was also a talking point. He took a spectacular catch off a leg‑slip position when Azan Awais clipped Archer’s edge, and later, Saud Shakeel’s shot was intercepted by Dan Lawrence in an unconventional backward‑square spot, highlighting England’s aggressive and athletic approach in the field.
Gus Atkinson, who bowled a tidy spell of 1‑11, removed the top‑scoring Mohammad Rizwan (41) just as England were on the brink of sealing the match. The final wicket fell when Mohammad Abbas, who had previously given away a few runs, was caught by Lawrence off Archer’s delivery, ending a game where both Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue claimed eight wickets each. Looking ahead, England have now recorded only three victories in their last eleven Tests. A win in the upcoming second Test at Lord's, scheduled to start at 11:00 am on Thursday and broadcast live on Sky Sports, would secure their first series win since the 2‑1 triumph in New Zealand in December 2024.
The team’s recent form has been mixed: they thrashed Zimbabwe in a one‑off at Trent Bridge last summer, but have suffered two defeats and a draw in their last three multi‑match series, including a 2‑2 dead‑heat with India, a 4‑1 drubbing in Australia, and a 2‑1 loss at home to New Zealand. The next few weeks promise tougher challenges for Root’s captaincy.
After this three‑match series, England will travel to South Africa for Stephen Fleming’s debut as permanent head coach, followed by the high‑stakes Ashes series in the summer of 2027. While Pakistan’s current lack of depth and a missing ‘X‑factor’ may have eased England’s path in Leeds, the real test will arrive when they face stronger opposition on foreign soil. Despite the comfortable margin, the match was not without its subtleties. England’s run‑rate of 4.55 runs per over was buoyed more by Pakistan’s erratic bowling and occasional lapses in fielding than by any particularly aggressive batting philosophy often dubbed “Bazball”.
Nonetheless, Harry Brook displayed commendable restraint, crafting a measured 91 off 93 balls on his home ground, showing that the English top order can balance aggression with composure. Key bowling performances included first‑innings five‑wicket hauls from both Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue, underscoring England’s relentless pressure with the ball. The batting side was bolstered by half‑centuries from Root, Brook, Lawrence and the recalled Jordan Cox, each providing solid foundations for the massive total. A few moments stood out as lowlights.
Jamie Smith fell for 25 after a seemingly innocuous short ball from Khurram Shahzad was edged to mid‑wicket. On the same day, Archer struck the only six of the match off Shahzad’s delivery, a brief flash of power in an otherwise disciplined contest.
Archer’s spell was particularly incisive; he repeatedly targeted Pakistan’s top order, forcing Imam‑ul‑Haq into a gloving error and eventually dismissing Azan Awais, who had escaped a pair earlier when he was given out lbw to Robinson on the very first ball of the series. Abdullah Shafique (15) and Shan Masood steadied the Pakistani innings for a spell, but Shafique soon edged a delivery from Robinson to Brook at second slip, ending his resistance just before lunch. In the second innings, Tongue’s spell was lethal. He removed Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha (who was covering for an injured Babar Azam) in quick succession.
Masood was caught at slip, while Salman fell lbw to a sharp delivery in the same over. Later, Ali Usman’s five‑wicket haul, one of the few bright spots for Pakistan, was cut short when he was caught in a spectacular diving slip catch taken by Cox after the ball deflected off Smith’s thigh.
Pakistan’s tail was exposed further when Rizwan, attempting to accelerate, offered a catch to Robinson on the very first ball of an over, resulting in a simple nick from the No 9 batsman. Such dismissals highlighted the numerous missteps that plagued the visitors throughout the three days.
The second Test at Lord’s will commence at 11:00 am on Thursday, with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can also stream the action via the NOW platform. All matches start at 11:00 am UK time and are available across Sky Sports channels.