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England rout Pakistan by an innings to take 1-0 lead

LEEDS - England launched Joe Root’s second spell as permanent Test captain in emphatic fashion, crushing Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

England rout Pakistan by an innings to take 1-0 lead
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LEEDS - England launched Joe Root’s second spell as permanent Test captain in emphatic fashion, crushing Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

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After England posted 409 in their first innings to secure a commanding 238-run lead, Pakistan collapsed for just 135 in 37.3 overs in their second innings.

Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue claimed three wickets each, while Gus Atkinson took one, as England’s pace attack relentlessly exposed Pakistan’s fragile batting.

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Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan offered the strongest resistance with 41 off 39 balls, but received little support.Shan Masood scored 29, Abdullah Shafique 15 and Saud Shakeel 14, while captain Salman Ali Agha managed only four.

Imam-ul-Haq was dismissed for a duck and Azan Awais made nine.

Archer struck twice early, removing Imam in the second over before dismissing Azan Awais in his next over, with England captain Root taking a sharp catch at leg slip.

The catch was Root’s 219th in Tests, moving him ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith as the most successful non-wicketkeeper catcher in Test history.Robinson then removed Abdullah Shafique, while Tongue dismissed Saud Shakeel and Shan Masood.

Tongue twice came close to completing hat-tricks during Pakistan’s collapse.

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Pakistan’s main individual success came from left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket with 5-95.

He became only the fourth Pakistan spinner to take five wickets in a Test innings in England, following Abdul Qadir, Mushtaq Ahmed and Yasir Shah.

England had earlier built their dominant position through contributions from Harry Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73), Root (66) and Dan Lawrence (51).

The hosts resumed the third day on 366-8 and added 43 runs before being bowled out for 409, with Jofra Archer unbeaten on 23.

England’s bowlers had already laid the foundation for victory by dismissing Pakistan for 171 in the first innings, with Robinson taking 5-51 and Tongue 5-46.ENGLAND 366-8 (Brook 91, Cox 73, Root 66, Lawrence 51, Usman 5-92) beat PAKISTAN 171 (Tongue 5-46, Robinson 5-51) AND 135 (Rizwan 41, Robinson 3-29, Tongue 3-43, Archer 3-50) by an innings and 103 runs.

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