LEEDS: Joe Root and Jordan Cox steadied England after Pakistan’s bowlers made early inroads as the hosts reached 112-2 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test at Headingley on Wednesday.
England trail Pakistan by 59 runs with eight wickets in hand, after the visitors were bowled out for 171 in their first innings.
Root, in his first Test as England captain following his appointment, was unbeaten on 23, while Cox was 37 not out. The pair shared an unbroken 64-run partnership to put England in a strong position at the close.
Pakistan collapse after promising partnership
Pakistan, sent in to bat first, suffered an immediate setback when opener Azan Awais was dismissed by Ollie Robinson from the first ball of the match.
Shan Masood followed in the fifth over, also falling to Robinson for five. Pakistan were reduced to 6-2.
Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique then rebuilt the innings, putting together a 91-run partnership for the third wicket.
Josh Tongue eventually broke the stand in the 29th over. Imam fell for 42 from 74 deliveries, hitting six fours.
Shafique continued to anchor the innings and reached a half-century before Ollie Robinson dismissed him for 61 from 104 balls. His innings included eight fours.
Saud Shakeel then fell to Robinson for five, leaving Pakistan in trouble after a brief 20-run stand with Shafique.
Robinson, Tongue dismantle Pakistan
Mohammad Rizwan and stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha attempted to revive Pakistan’s innings.
The pair added 32 runs for the sixth wicket before Tongue dismissed Salman for 21 in the final over of the second session.
Tongue struck again from the next delivery, trapping Ali Usman lbw for a duck.
Pakistan went into the tea interval at 150-7, with Rizwan unbeaten on 11.
The visitors managed only 21 more runs after the interval.
All wickets of Pak against Eng from 1st Test. pic.twitter.com/OlMJo9iOf6
— Smithian49 (@Markie49SS) August 19, 2026
Tongue removed Rizwan for 12 early in the final session, exposing Pakistan’s tail.
Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas added 12 runs for the 10th wicket before Robinson dismissed Khurram for 14 to complete his fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Tongue then bowled Abbas for two on the next delivery to end Pakistan’s innings at 171 in 48.1 overs.
Robinson finished with four wickets for 39 runs from 16 overs, while Tongue claimed three for 41 from 7.4 overs.
Root and Cox put England in control
England’s reply began positively, with Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay adding 36 for the opening wicket.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas broke the partnership in the 10th over when he trapped Duckett lbw for 15.
Mohammad Ali then dismissed Gay in the following over. The opener made 33 from 31 balls, striking seven boundaries.
Root joined Cox at the crease and the pair resisted Pakistan’s attack for the remainder of the day.
Their unbeaten partnership of 64 ensured England finished the opening day in control at 112-2.
Abbas and Ali took one wicket each for Pakistan.
England will resume on Thursday with Cox on 37 and Root on 23.
