Joe Root's tenure as England captain began with a significant victory as his side defeated Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley. The win, achieved within three days, puts England 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Pakistan was bowled out for 171 in their first innings and struggled again in the second, falling for 135. England's bowlers, particularly Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson, were instrumental in the collapse. Tongue took 8 wickets for 89 runs across both innings, while Robinson finished with a career-best 8 wickets for 80 runs.
England's batting effort was led by Harry Brook, who scored 91, and Ben Cox, who contributed 73. Joe Root himself added 66 runs to the total of 409. This strong performance at home follows a period of off-field challenges and inconsistent results for the England team.
The series continues with the second Test at Lord's, scheduled to begin on Thursday. England will aim to secure the series victory in their next match.