Pakistan’s hopes for a spot in the ICC World Test Championship final have been dashed following a crushing defeat to England, who won the first Test of the three-match series by an innings and 47 runs.
Pakistan’s second innings ended at just 220 runs, leaving fans disheartened. Starting the fifth day with Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal at the crease, both batsmen completed half-centuries—Agha scoring 63 runs off 84 deliveries before falling LBW to Jack Leach, and Jamal remaining unbeaten with 55 runs off 104 balls.
England’s Jack Leach dominated the final day, claiming four wickets overall, including the dismissals of Agha, Shaheen Afridi (10 off 14 balls), and Naseem Shah (6 off 3 balls). Abrar Ahmed did not bat, as he was absent due to illness.
This defeat marked Pakistan’s sixth consecutive loss under captain Shan Masood, extending a dismal run that began with a 3-0 defeat to Australia, followed by a shocking 2-0 series loss at home to Bangladesh. Pakistan now trails 0-1 in the ongoing series against England and has yet to secure a Test victory at home since 2022.
Shan Masood reflected on the loss, attributing it to the team’s inability to take wickets despite a strong first-innings total. He emphasized the importance of batting and bowling cohesiveness to set up and finish games, urging the squad to learn from England’s example.
Pakistan also set an unwanted record, becoming the first team to lose a Test match after scoring over 550 runs in the first innings. The team’s struggles were evident as they collapsed in their second innings on Day 4, reaching only 152 for 6 after England posted a massive total of 823.
England’s batting was led by Joe Root (262 off 375 balls), Ben Duckett (84 off 75), Zak Crawley (78 off 85), and Harry Brook, who dazzled with 317 runs. Their remarkable total of 823 ranks among the highest in Test cricket history, with a run rate of 5.48.
Pakistan’s bowlers struggled against the relentless English attack, leading to an innings defeat despite their impressive first-innings total—a rare occurrence in cricket history.