Get full coverage of Pakistan vs England 2026, Pakistan tour of England cricket series, latest match results, and the updated points table. Get ball-by-ball commentary.
England lead 1-0 after dismissing Pakistan on their innings to win this match. The world champions England have a 1-0 lead as Pakistan’s innings were dismantled badly.
Pakistan put in a shoddy display with the bat for the second time in three days to suffer an innings defeat against England in the opening Test in Headingley. Pakistan vs England 2026 Having made only 171 in the first innings, Pakistan struggled in their second essay as well with Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson sharing nine wickets between them to bowl the visitors out for just 135.
Archer first had a role to play with the bat as he took little time to drag England’s lead past the 200-run mark once play commenced on the third day. But on the other side, Jamie Smith bowled an out-of-bowler’s length delivered shot to the off to leave off 25, whereupon Pakistan took the England game in hand.
However, Archer was back again on the pitch to torment Pakistan, this time with the ball to strike in his very first over to get rid of Imam-ul-Haq. Pakistan vs England 2026.
After taking a few early deliveries, Shan Masood returned the blow with some boundaries to get Pakistan comfortable but at the other end, Pakistan vs England 2026, it was the turn of Robinson to hit. Abdullah Shafique, however, could only manage to bring the ball up to second slip and Pakistan were under a great strain at the start of lunch. Pakistan vs England 2026.
But the woes worsened for Pakistan even in the post-break phase as Tongue struck their middle order. Saud Shakeel departed first which was then followed by Tongue prizing out Masood and Salman Agha in the same over to pretty much put the game to bed.
With the loss now inevitable, Mohammad Rizwan played a few shots but Robinson added to his tally at the other end to finish with a three-wicket haul. Gus Atkinson was finally rewarded with Rizwan’s wicket before Archer put Pakistan out of their misery in the 38th over of the innings.
Brook’s 91 ensure England get the advantage in the end
Ali Usman’s five-fer allows the hosts to take the lead, but Brook’s 91 ensure England get the advantage in the end. Despite Ali Usman’s fifer – including three wickets in the last half an hour of play – England piled on the pressure on Pakistan in the first Test on Thursday (August 20).
The hosts stretched their control in the first Test at Headingley by four half-centuries as their batters were left with a commanding 195-run lead at the end of Day 2. Pakistan vs England 2026.
Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad put the pressure on the English bowlers with the swinging deliveries after the opening session of play was called off due to rain for over four hours. Despite being the better side in the match after Pakistan’s first day had ended with 171 for 4, England were not out of the running to come back with the ball in hand in favourable conditions.
After some early troubles, Jordan Cox cut loose, cracking Shahzad for four boundaries in an over. But in the middle, he had a more reserved style, as had Root, in that short attack. Pakistan vs England 2026.
Cox was the first to break the century stand for the third wicket with a punch through the extra cover for a boundary in the fifth over. He soon got a chance to get his first big fifty, when he skinned Abbas over the fine leg fielder. A ball later, in the next over, Root was able to reach that mark with a flick through mid wicket. Pakistan vs England 2026.
The partnership went on to reach the 150 run mark without Pakistan finding any success in the partnership. Cox left on 73, poking at a delivery outside off – and went with it. England’s woes were further compounded as Root was trapped leg-before a few balls later, and had burnt all the reviews by then.
But by that time, England had led in their innings by 31 runs. Pakistan could’ve found themselves in a better position had Harry Brook’s catch been taken when he was batting on 1. However Salman Agha did not have it at slip and ended up injuring his finger in the process. It was a brief spell of the game, in which Pakistan appeared to be the more formidable team in the game. Pakistan vs England 2026.
But Brook gave the visitors a run for their money, before blasting away for a 55-ball half-century. Dan Lawrence, on the other hand, was a little more considerate to the bowlers, but was not playing a secondary fiddle in the partnership that reached 120 runs in just 25 overs. Pakistan vs England 2026.
As the partnership flourished, shoulders started to droop and Pakistan pacers fed them with ample scoring opportunities with indisciplined bowling. Opportunities were lost in the field and reviews were lost and helplessness prevailed. Pakistan vs England 2026
But, with Usman leading the way, Pakistan rallied back in the final 45 minutes of the match. Lawrence was sent off shortly after lifting up his half-century, top edged by Ali Usman. Intense with the ball at 91, Brook failed to get to the line and was mopped up. It was Usman’s day to add two more in the following over, hitting them both off Gus Atkinson and Robinson off successive deliveries.
Jamie Smith managed to weather the late storm and was at ease with Jofra Archer as England had two wickets to hand over to third day’s business. Pakistan vs England 2026.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 171 (Abdullah Shafique 61; Josh Tongue 5-46, Ollie Robinson 5-51) lead England 366/8 (Harry Brook 91, Jordan Cox 73, Joe Root 66, Dan Lawrence 51; Ali Usman 5-92) by 195 runs.
Five-for, despite poor rhythm, Robinson wants to improve.
The five-for delivery on the first day of the Leeds Test against Pakistan was a big breakthrough for Ollie Robinson as he was not at his rhythm yet. After his second comeback this summer, Robinson said his emphasis has been to keep himself as fit as I can with the amount of game time that I’m putting in.
Despite making his Test debut in 2021, the ongoing game at Headingley is just Robinson’s 22nd Test, reflective of a career marred by fitness and endurance issues. He was dropped following a normal appearance at the Ranchi Test versus India in 2024 and then called up for the first match of the summer against New Zealand at Lord’s in June.
Robinson promptly replied with a match haul of 7/77 to bring England to a fine win and is now beaten up enough by a knee ailment that he is ruled out of the second Test against England at The Oval. He was then left out of the decider at Trent Bridge, where New Zealand went on to win to wrap up the series 2-1, an omission that he felt was “frustrating”.
He didn’t waste any time in making the first step forward and ended up trapping Azan Awais in front with the first ball of the match on Wednesday. Pakistan vs England 2026. In a helpful performance, Robinson got five wickets, walked away from Pakistan’s 171 for the fifth time in his five Test career fives.
“After the first day at Leeds it was frustrating to not be able to play at the Oval,” Robinson said of the Test opener. “It was just a bit of a freak training injury and then I was fit for Trent Bridge but not picked and so I suppose it’s part of professional sport, isn’t it?”
The Sussex seamer admitted he had been working hard on his fitness since then despite not having played a red ball match since the Lord’s Test and arriving in Leeds having made his debut for the T20 Blast and played four One-Day internationals. Pakistan vs England 2026.
However, he said he was feeling “as good as I’ve felt,” but said his rhythm “can be better.”
“For sure, I’m not as fresh as I used to be,” Robinson said. “That sounds silly after [taking] wickets, but I’m probably not in as good a rhythm as I would like, having not played red-ball cricket since Lord’s.
“But I think to me the more I play, the better I get. So as long as I can be on the park, stay fit, I hope I can get that rhythm.” Pakistan vs England 2026.
So Robinson’s challenge was elsewhere on Wednesday after the Pakistan batting order was easily dispatched. The two of them could not hold onto the ball as a memento as Josh Tongue also scored a fifer. After some thought, they came up with an easy answer – divide the ball into 2 parts.
“Well, we don’t actually have too many halves of cricket balls, so it will be something that we’ll never forget.” Robinson said. Pakistan vs England 2026.
Following in the footsteps of Robinson and Tongue, England had an excellent start to the post-Bazball era, with the home side trailing Pakistan by 59 runs at the end of the day, having been 112/2.
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