England rout Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in Headingley Test

England rout Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in Headingley Test.

Key points

• Harry Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73), Root (66) and the recalled Dan Lawrence (51) all created fifties on Thursday.
• England introduced their post-Bazball era with an innings and 103-run thrashing of Pakistan in the first Test at Headingley on Friday.
• Pakistan, who had been 51-2 in their second innings, lost four wickets for 25 runs on the way to being dismissed for just 135.
• This person took all 10 wickets between them in Pakistan's meagre first-innings 171, once again did plenty of damage after express quick Jofra Archer removed both openers.
• While Tongue finished with 8-89, recalled seamer Robinson was named player of the match for his overall figures of 8-80.

England rout Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in Headingley Test. AFP Published August 21, 2026 Updated August 21, 2026 09: 52pm. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

England pacemen Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson. This person took all 10 wickets between them in Pakistan's meagre first-innings 171, once again did plenty of damage after express quick Jofra Archer removed both openers.

For context, the trio took three wickets apiece on Friday as England posted their seventh successive Test victory at Headingley – their longest sequence of wins at any home venue.

"It's a great way to start, " remarked Robinson, who took a wicket with the highly first ball of the match, at the presentation ceremony. "That's my job, I suppose, setting the tone and to get a wicket off the first ball is a great feeling."

He continued: "It was nipping both ways and I knew if I could control my length and my line I was in the game."

Notably, a comprehensive win with more than two days remaining at his Yorkshire home ground was an ideal way for Joe Root to commence his second stint as full-time England Test captain.

Former skipper Ben Stokes retired from international duty after a series loss at home to New Zealand in June, shortly before Brendon McCullum was sacked as red-ball coach.

This was just England's third win in 11 Tests, albeit one achieved against a subdued Pakistan side.

"You look at the prep we had leading in, coming straight from The Hundred, the fact we're in a slight transition stage, but I thought the way that we dealt with all of that, the clarity and the way the guys approached this week has been outstanding, " remarked Root.

Pakistan stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha accepted his side had been well beaten, telling the BBC: "England have outplayed us."

Agha, leading the side in place of the injured Babar Azam, continued: "In batting and bowling, we weren't consistent enough." England, 366-8 overnight, posted 409 for a enormous first-innings lead of 238.

Pakistan left-arm spinner Ali Usman's 5-95 – his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket – was a rare highlight for the tourists.

For the second time in the match, Pakistan were 0-1 on Friday when Archer dismissed Imam-ul-Haq for a duck as the left-hander, trying to evade a short delivery, gloved the ball to wicket-keeper Jamie Smith.

Azan Awais, out for a golden duck in the first innings, had created nine when he clipped Archer straight to Root at the rarely employed position of leg slip.

It was something of a tactical coup for Root, like Brook playing in front of his home crowd, with Pakistan now 13-2.

Abdullah Shafique's 61 had been the standout display in Pakistan's first innings. But he could only manage 15 before he edged a full-length ball from Robinson to Brook at second slip.

Pakistan were 59-3 at lunch but they shortly identified themselves 76-6 after a triple strike from Tongue that included two wickets in an over.

Shan Masood, a former Yorkshire batsman applied to playing at Headingley, nicked Tongue to first slip for 29 and, four balls afterwards, Pakistan were 76-6 when Agha was lbw to the fast bowler.

Mohammad Rizwan briefly kept England at bay with 41 – the top score of the innings – at better than a run-a-ball before he was bowled by Gus Atkinson to leave Pakistan on the brink of defeat at 131-9.

Meanwhile, the match – Pakistan's ninth defeat in their last 10 Tests away from home – concluded when Mohammad Abbas holed out off Archer.

Pakistan must regroup rapidly as the second Test at Lord's starts on Thursday.

"We'll have two days off, then go to Lord's and sit down and think about what mistakes we made and what we can think about in the next game, " remarked Agha.

Taken together, the developments around england rout Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in Headingley Test point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.