England crushed Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley on Friday to give Joe Root a winning start to his second spell as permanent test captain.
The hosts wrapped up the one-sided contest before tea on the third day despite more than half a day’s play being lost to rain, completing a dominant response to their disappointing series defeat by New Zealand eight weeks ago.
England resumed on 366-5 and added 43 runs to reach 409, securing a first-innings lead of 238. Their pace attack then dismantled Pakistan for 135 in 37.3 overs, with Mohammad Rizwan top-scoring with 41.
Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson claimed three wickets apiece in the second innings. Their match figures of 8-89 and 8-80 respectively were career-best returns.
Pakistan lost their first wicket without scoring for the second time in the match when Imam-ul-Haq edged Jofra Archer to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Root then took a sharp catch at leg slip to remove Azan Awais, moving ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith with 219 test catches, the most by a non-wicketkeeper.
Tongue dismissed Saud Shakeel and Shan Masood before trapping Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha lbw, while Robinson removed Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad.
Archer finished with 3-50, dismissing Mohammad Abbas to seal victory.
The defeat exposed the gulf between the teams’ pace attacks, batting performances in English conditions and fielding standards.
Pakistan will hope to have Babar Azam back from a finger injury for the second test at Lord’s, beginning on Thursday.
