England completed an extraordinary victory over Pakistan on day five of the first Test in Multan, beating the hosts by an innings and 47 runs.
In defeat, Pakistan become the first team in the history of Test cricket to rack up a score of more than 500 in their first innings and lose by an innings.
Pakistan, who made 556 in their first innings before England replied with their mammoth 823-7 declared, resumed the final day on 152-6, trailing England by 115, with Salman Ali Agha (63) and Aamer Jamal (55no) sharing a 109-run partnership to initially frustrate the tourists.
However, Jack Leach (4-30) struck to remove Salman, trapping him leg-before, after the pair’s century stand had taken the deficit well below the 100 mark.
Pakistan were batting with a man short after spinner Abrar Ahmed was taken to hospital with a fever having missed day four.
Leach then went on to take a stunning catch off his own bowling to dismiss Shaheen Shah Afridi (10) before Naseem Shah (6) was stumped by Jamie Smith as the left-arm spinner claimed the final three wickets despite some aggressive bowling from Brydon Carse at the other end.
England go 1-0 up in the three-match series with the second Test, also taking place in Multan, starting on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports.
Leach spins England to victory
Pakistan had suffered yet another second-innings batting collapse on Thursday, losing six wickets for just 86 runs, essentially handing England their remarkable victory.
Salman and Aamer both posted half-centuries during their stubborn seventh-wicket partnership which frustrated England in the early hours of day five.
However, Leach made an immediate impact after being brought on to bowl, beating Salman’s inside edge with his fourth ball of the morning.
Salman chose to review the decision, a choice more out of desperation than anything else, with the replay showing three reds and umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat raising his finger again.
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Leach takes a rapid catch off his own bowling to dismiss Shaheen Afridi
Ollie Pope dropped Afridi on five at square leg as he attempted to take the catch running backwards, but the mistake cost England very little in the context of the game.
Afridi smashed a wide ball from Leach straight back to him and the England spinner sharply held on with both hands in his follow-through.
Naseem launched Leach over long-off for the first six of the day, giving the home fans something to cheer about, but when he came down the wicket and missed his swipe off the following ball, Smith whipped off his bails to seal the inevitable.
It is England’s fourth straight Test victory over Pakistan after they wrapped up a 3-0 whitewash series win in 2022.
First Test: Multan – October 7-11 – England won by an innings and 47 runs
Second Test: Multan – October 15-19
Third Test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28
Every match from the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup is also live on Sky Sports from October 3-20 with Australia aiming for a third straight title and seventh overall, and England seeking to triumph for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2009.
Watch day one of the second Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.30am on Tuesday, ahead of play starting from 6am. Stream with NOW
Fabio Wardley’s huge rematch with Frazer Clarke is on the epic Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol bill on Saturday October 12 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Wardley v Clarke 2 and Beterbiev v Bivol now!