Robinson double rocks Pakistan in first Test before rain stops play

Robinson double rocks Pakistan in first Test before rain stops play.

Key points

• Robinson had figures of 2-12 in five overs, with the umpires afterwards announcing lunch would be taken 30 minutes early at 12: 30pm (4: 30pm PKT).
• By the time rain halted play after 50 minutes, Pakistan – without injured captain Babar Azam for the start of the three-Test series – were stumbling at 23-2.
• It was a fine way for the 32-year-old Robinson to take his 500th first-class wicket at an impressively low average of 21.
• Jordan Cox replaced the injured Jacob Bethell at number three, and Dan Lawrence filled the gap in the middle order left by Stokes at number six.
• Robinson celebrated his recall in style in England's first Test since the exits of Ben Stokes, their former captain, and Brendon McCullum, sacked as red-ball coach.

Robinson double rocks Pakistan in first Test before rain stops play. AFP Published August 19, 2026 Updated August 19, 2026 04: 50pm. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

England bowler Ollie Robinson took a wicket with the first ball of the match as his double strike left Pakistan reeling before rain halted play in the first Test at Headingley on Wednesday.

By the time rain halted play after 50 minutes, Pakistan – without injured captain Babar Azam for the start of the three-Test series – were stumbling at 23-2. Imam-ul-Haq was five not out and Abdullah Shafique unbeaten on 12.

Joe Root, in his second stint as full-time England captain, explained his decision to field first after winning the toss by saying: "We feel there's some overheads to work with, and a bit of top moisture that our lads can exploit." But not even Root, all-rounder Stokes's predecessor as skipper, could have forecast what happened next.

Robinson, recalled in place of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, was on target with the first ball of the match, trapping left-hander Azan Awais lbw.

Awais reviewed but umpire Chris Gaffaney's decision was upheld, with replays indicating the ball would have hit the top of middle stump.

Shan Masood had managed just five when he too fell lbw to Robinson, bowling over the wicket at the left-hander and moving the ball back into the batsman's pads.

Shafique drove Gus Atkinson for four before he survived a confident caught behind appeal, with umpire Allahuddien Paleker correctly ruling the rising ball had flicked the batsman's leg instead.

Pakistan, bidding for their first series win in England in 30 years, suffered a setback before the three-match contest when captain Babar Azam was ruled out with a hand injury.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha leads Pakistan for the first time in a Test.

Top-order batsman Shan Masood has been passed fit, with Saud Shakeel returning to the side. "It was last minute I find out I'm captaining, " remarked Agha.

"We've been playing a lot of red-ball cricket. We're well prepared, " he continued, with England, by contrast, coming into this game after a number of weeks of the limited-overs Hundred domestic competition.

This is the first match of Root's second stint as full-time England Test captain after former skipper Ben Stokes' retirement from all international cricket.

England are additionally without the other architect of their aggressive 'Bazball' approach to red-ball cricket after Brendon McCullum was sacked as Test coach after a 2-1 series loss against New Zealand in June.

In practice, the hosts, who have won just two of their last 10 Tests, created three changes to their side.

Playing for Pakistan are Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Salman Ali Agha (capt), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas.

For context, the England lineup consists of Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (capt), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wkt), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.

Taken together, the developments around robinson double rocks Pakistan in first Test before rain stops play point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.