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At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, England trounced Pakistan by 74 runs in the first Test of the three-match series, taking a 1-0 lead over the Green Shirts. Pakistan was knocked out for 268 runs by England.
After being given a 343-run winning target, Pakistan started the fifth and final day on 80-2, but Ollie Robinson and James Anderson both claimed four wickets to end the home team’s aspirations.
Saud Shakeel led Pakistan in scoring with 76 before they were all out in the thrilling final session. Pakistan battled valiantly.
The game appeared to be headed for a draw on a flat field, but an astute declaration by England captain Stokes and a determined bowling performance in the second innings helped the visitors prevail. This was the highest-scoring five-day Test match in history, totaling 1768 runs. In the 1930s, only two classic Test matches scored more runs.
England is now in Pakistan for their first Test trip since 2005 after declining to go during the intervening years due to security concerns.
In Rawalpindi, it should be highlighted that England scored runs recklessly on a dead wicket in the first innings. In the end, the visitors were all out for 657, including a record 506 on the opening day of play on Thursday, thanks to four batsmen who scored hundreds off the poor Pakistani bowling.
In response, the host team scored 579 in their first innings, with three Pakistani batters going for hundreds. England batted at a run-rate of over seven in the second innings to give Pakistan a challenging 343-run mark. December 9–13 is the date for the second Test in Multan, while December 17–21 is the date for the third Test in Karachi.
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