The first Test between England and Pakistan in Multan was nothing short of remarkable. The visitors dominated in every aspect, securing victory by an innings and 47 runs. But while the team performance was brilliant, England's incredible batting feats were the true highlight. Let’s dive into the standout records that were shattered during this historic first Test of the 3-match series.
Unwanted Record For the Hosts
Pakistan may have scored over 500 runs in their first innings, but unfortunately for them, it was an unwanted record in the end. They became the first team in Test history to lose a match by an innings after scoring more than 500 runs in their first innings. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Shan Masood and his team, who could not have predicted this outcome.
Record Partnership for England
At the heart of this crushing victory was the extraordinary partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root, who shattered records on Day 4 with their blistering run-fest. The duo set a new record for England in Test cricket with an incredible 454-run stand. This partnership surpassed the previous best of 411 runs, set by Colin Cowdrey and Peter May against the West Indies way back in 1957.
Fourth Highest Test Score
England’s dominance was underlined by their massive total of 823 for 7 declared. This was the fourth-highest total in Test cricket history, trailing only behind Sri Lanka's all-time record of 952 for 6 against India in 1997. This run-fest was a masterclass in batting.
Joe Root Enters Record Books
Joe Root, yet again, etched his name in the record books. With his magnificent knock of 262, Root became England’s all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket, surpassing Alastair Cook. But that wasn’t all - Root also crossed the prestigious milestone of 20,000 international runs, becoming the first English player to do so. Across 350 matches, Root has amassed 20,079 runs at an average of 49.21, including 50 centuries and 108 half-centuries!
Second Most Double Centuries
Root's sixth double century in this match also makes him the player with the second-most double hundreds in England’s Test history, just one shy of the legendary Wally Hammond, who holds the record with seven.
Harry Brook’s Incredible Achievement
On the other end of this monumental partnership, Harry Brook continued to rise to the occasion. Brook’s blistering triple century came off just 310 balls, making it the fastest by an English batter and the second-fastest triple ton in history, only behind Virender Sehwag’s 278-ball masterpiece against South Africa in 2008.
Run Fest in Multan
And the records didn’t stop there. Day 4 saw an incredible 483 runs scored - marking the second-highest total runs in a single day’s play in Pakistan. Only the 506 runs scored on Day 1 of the first Test between England and Pakistan in 2022 stands higher.
This first Test match was truly one for the history books. A dominant England set multiple records, leaving Pakistan searching for answers. With Brook and Root’s heroics, a massive total, and record-breaking achievements, this Test will go down as one of England's greatest victories in recent memory.
What’s next for England and Pakistan in this thrilling series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to like and subscribe for more cricket coverage!