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Pakistan v England: Visitors claim historic innings victory as Jack Leach claims final wickets in first Test
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Updated 11/10/2024 at 10:39 GMT+1
England inflicted a damaging defeat on Pakistan, who claimed the unwanted record of becoming the first Test team to score 500 runs in an innings but still lose by an innings. Jack Leach completed the job on Friday, claiming all three wickets, with the hard work done a day earlier after Joe Root and Harry Brook's historic 454-run partnership. The second Test begins on October 15.
Triple-centurion Brook just wanted to 'get past dad's highest score'
Video credit: TNT Sports
England completed a famous win over Pakistan in the first Test in Multan as they skittled their hosts for 220 to claim victory by an innings and 47 runs.
Fresh from a historic day four, which saw Joe Root and Harry Brook put on a 454-run partnership as records tumbled, England completed the job on Friday as spinner Jack Leach claimed all three wickets.
Pakistan began the final day on 152-6, needing 116 runs just to force England to bat again, but their task was made even harder with Abrar Ahmed still in hospital with illness, leaving them with just three wickets to protect.
And despite a sluggish start, Leach ensured that England claimed a convincing victory - a result made even more remarkable after they leaked 556 runs in Pakistan's first innings.
“Everyone knows what a special win that was. It’s been a serious effort,” said England captain Ollie Pope.
“Whenever you get 550, whatever pitch it is, it’s always a good score, but we also knew if we batted like we know we can then we can go big.
“We’ve got two greedy Yorkshiremen [Root and Brook] and they did exactly that. What they did was seriously special and a joy to watch.
“It’s been phenomenal."
It was the first of three Tests in Pakistan, with the second getting underway on October 15.
Pakistan will have plenty of self-analysis to do before then after becoming the first team in history playing in Asia to lose after scoring over 500 runs in the first innings.
For England, the win will go down as one of the finest of the Brendon McCullum era.
They looked up against it when they lost stand-in opener Ollie Pope early in response to Pakistan's mammoth 556 first-innings total.
But after an incredible fourth day with bat and ball put them in the box seat, England started the last day with victory in sights.
Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal continued to show fight early on the final morning, but Leach got the breakthrough when he had Agha trapped lbw for 63.
Just six overs later, Leach wrapped up the win with two wickets in four balls.
First he took a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to dismiss Shaheen Afridi (10), and then had Naseem Shah (six) stumped as he came down the track looking to attack.
With Abrar Ahmed still unable to bat due to injury, the ninth wicket was the last as England celebrated a famous win.
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