England beat Pakistan by 74 runs securing victory in the first Test

England beat Pakistan by 74 runs securing victory in the first Test on Monday in Rawalpindi!

The visiting side had set a target of 343 for victory on the Day-4 of the match.

Pakistan began the fifth and final day on 80-2, but Ollie Robinson and James Anderson took four wickets apiece to dash the home team’s hopes.

Pakistan could add just 13 in the first 65 minutes with Rizwan not scoring off the first 23 balls he faced.

However, Rizwan managed to hit five boundaries and two sixes to begin the chase proper in an unbroken 80-run fourth wicket stand with Shakeel.

Shakeel hit Leach for two boundaries to complete his half-century off 104 balls.

Mohammad Rizwan scored 46 and Azhar Ali hit 40 with an injured finger but they could only delay the inevitable.

Naseem Shah and Mohammad Ali, Pakistan’s last pair, resisted for nearly nine overs before the former fell lbw to Jack Leach barely 10 minutes before the scheduled end of play.

The second Test of the series is slated to be played in Multan from December 9-13, and the third in Karachi from December 17-21.

The opening day of the Test match was historic for Ben Stokes XI, as the England scored a record 657 in their first innings before dismissing Pakistan for 579.