Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes scored attacking half-centuries, as England defeated Pakistan by three wickets in a thrilling first test to take 1-0 lead in the three match series at Manchester on Saturday.
Resuming on 137-8, Pakistan’s last two wickets added 32 runs, with Yasir Shah scoring a quickfire 33, thereby increasing the lead to 276. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 169.
Broad was England’s most successful bowler as he claimed 3/27, while Woakes and Ben Stokes bagged 2 wickets each.
Chasing 277, England’s opening duo of Rory Burns and Dom Sibley made a solid beginning, adding 22 runs for the first wicket before Burns fell leg before wicket to Mohammad Abbas.
Sibley along with skipper Joe Root then combined together by putting on 64 runs, before the former edged a drive off Yasir to slip.
Root looked good in his innings of 42 before falling to exciting youngster Naseem Shah.
Stokes, who had scored a brilliant match winning century against Australia at Headingly, failed to repeat his heroics here, as he was caught by Rizwan off Yasir Shah’s googly that bounced for 9.
Ollie Pope then fell to a brute of a delivery from Afridi that climbed off a length and ballooned to Shadab Khan as he ran forward from gully, leaving England in a precarious position at 117/5.
Buttler and Woakes, both coming into this game on the back of some indifferent batting form, took the attack to the Pakistan bowlers and swung the game in the favour of the home side by putting on 139 runs for the sixth wicket, before Buttler fell LBW for 75 while trying to reverse sweep leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Stuart Broad, promoted ahead of Dom Bess, scored 7 vital runs before becoming Yasir’s fourth victim.
Woakes remained unbeaten on 84, as England reached the target of 277 with three wickets to spare. The result meant England went 1-0 up in a three match series. He was declared the Man of the Match for his fine all-round effort.
This victory also meant England had won the opening test of a series for the first time in six attempts.
The second test match between the two sides will be played at Southampton on 13 August.