England beat Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs on day 3 of 1st Test. England began Joe Root’s return as Test captain in emphatic fashion. They defeated Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in a one-sided contest. The hosts controlled the match with both bat and ball. They also kept Pakistan under pressure in the field.
England made an immediate impact with the ball. Ollie Robinson claimed a wicket from the opening delivery of the Test. That breakthrough set the tone for a superb bowling performance. Pakistan briefly recovered through Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq.
The pair added 91 runs together. It proved to be Pakistan’s best partnership of the match. However, Robinson returned to break the stand. He finished with an excellent 5/51. Josh Tongue matched that effort with 5/46. His pace and movement caused major problems for Pakistan’s lower order.
England eventually bowled Pakistan out for a modest total. The hosts then began their reply carefully. Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay fell before Joe Root and Jordan Cox restored stability. Rain delayed the start of the second day’s play.
Once the match resumed, England’s batters took control. Cox played a composed innings of 73. Root added 66. Together, they produced a valuable 150-run partnership. Harry Brook then increased the pressure on Pakistan. He attacked aggressively and struck 91 from 93 deliveries.
Brook also shared a 120-run stand with Dan Lawrence, who contributed a quick 51. Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to contain England. Ali Usman provided their main success. He claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul. However, England still finished on 366/8. That gave them a commanding 195-run lead.
England added another 43 runs to their advantage on the day 3 of 1st Test against Pakistan. Their lead eventually reached 238. Then the seamers returned to finish the job. Jofra Archer removed both Pakistan openers early. Shafique and Shan Masood tried to resist, but Robinson soon broke their partnership.
After lunch, Tongue ripped through Pakistan’s batting. He took three wickets across his first two overs and reduced Pakistan to 76/6. Robinson added two more wickets. Gus Atkinson also claimed his first wicket of the match. Finally, Archer returned to complete the victory.
Pakistan were dismissed for 135 on day 3 of 1st Test against England. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 41, but he received little support. England’s victory gave Root an ideal beginning to his return as Test captain. The team dominated across all three departments.
Their seamers exploited the conditions. Their batters built a substantial lead. Their fielding also remained sharp when it mattered. For Pakistan, the defeat exposed several weaknesses. They struggled against England’s pace attack and failed to build partnerships when the pressure increased.
The two sides will now turn their attention to Lord’s. Pakistan must respond quickly if they are to keep the series alive. England, meanwhile, have made a powerful statement at the beginning of the Root era.