England thrash Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in first Test

Joe Root’s return as England captain results in a thumping win inside three days against Pakistan in first Test.Published On 21 Aug 202621 Aug 2026England crushed ‌Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs to win a one-sided first Test at Headingley and ⁠launch Joe Root’s second ⁠spell as permanent captain in style.The convulsions which accompanied the series defeat by New Zealand eight weeks ago, with Ben Stokes stepping down and coach Brendon McCullum being relieved of ⁠his red-ball duties, were emphatically put behind them by England.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Top 10 players to watch in the 2026-27 European football seasonlist 2 of 4Northern Italy seeks to keep the pressure on the south as Serie A returnslist 3 of 4La Liga: The key talking points for Real Madrid before the 2026-27 seasonlist 4 of 4La Liga: Five key talking points heading into Barcelona’s 2026-27 seasonend of listA dominant display against a hugely disappointing Pakistan side saw the game wrapped up before tea on Friday on the third day, despite the loss of more than ⁠half a day’s play to rain.After England added 43 runs to their overnight score to reach 409 and gain a first innings lead of 238, thei...