It looks like Pakistan cricket is putting an axe on their own foot! They have been winless in Tests at home since March 2021. And still, they are building ‘roads’ that have nothing for the bowlers, and forcing the match to end in a stalemate. Similar is the case that is going on in the first Multan Test between Pakistan and England. Despite mustering 556 runs in the first innings, Pakistan are on the back foot, with Joe Root playing a sublime innings and breaking all kinds of records on his way.
England & Joe Root decimate Pakistan
Day 3 of the PAK vs ENG began with the visitors being at 96/1. Pakistan needed to wrap up England within today but unfortunately for them, England not just played out the day, but batted with aplomb. Root marked the ascent of England’s all-time Test runs charts, on the way to his daddy hundred. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett struck briskly but failed to get to the three-figure marks. Regardless, they did the damage to the Pakistan bowling attack.
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Continuing his red-hot form, Joe Root clubbed his 35th Test hundred, inching closer to the herculean Sachin Tendulkar record for the most Test runs ever. With age on his side, Root is touted to break the improbable record, and he is making every innings count. The number one-ranked Test batter wore down the Pakistan bowlers on a humid day in Multan.
Apart from Root, another talented star shone on the day in Harry Brook, who himself hammered his 6th Test century. While Root waited for his shots, Brook pummelled everything that came on his way and even swept and reverse-swept to frustrate the Pakistan spinners.
PAK vs ENG 1st Test Summary (after Day 3)
Pakistan 1st innings: 556/10 (Shan Masood 151, Jack Leach 3/160)
England 1st innings: 492/3 (after 101 overs) (Joe Root 176*, Aamer Jamal 1/76)
