tea England 351 for 3 (Root 119*, Duckett 84, Crawley 78, Brook 64*, Jamal 1-56) Trail Pakistan 556 x 205 runs

The hundred, Root's first against Pakistan, came in a middle session consisting of 119 largely trouble-free runs in 25 overs, followed by a morning session with 136 from as many. England are still 205 behind Pakistan's first innings total of 556, but it is clear that the intention is to make up that deficit by the end of the game today.

Much like the last 12 years of English cricket, Root has been a constant throughout. He continued with 72 after lunch and hit triple figures by pulling a single off his 167th delivery for his fifth century in 2024 – the third time he had done so in a calendar year after 2021 and 2022 scored many hits. Only Ricky Ponting (four) and Matthew Hayden (four) scored five or more Test centuries in more calendar years.

The undisputed statistical highlight came 15 minutes from the end of the first session when Root leaned into another compact drive for four with 67 to march to 12,473 career runs and overtake Sir Alastair Cook as England's most prolific Test batsman and fifth only behind overall Sachin Tendulkar, Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid.

It was an impressive performance from Duckett, whose 75-ball 84 formed the backbone of a brisk 136-run stand with Root. Duckett's participation in this innings was in doubt when he left the field clutching his thumb in agony after taking the final catch of the Pakistan innings late on the second evening. But after receiving treatment overnight, he slotted in at No. 4 and managed a 45-ball spell, his fourth against Pakistan.

Whatever the case, Crawley had dropped 78 from 85 balls – his sixth 60-80 score of the year – and at 113 for 2, Pakistan had the ghost of a chance until Duckett, who showed no ill effects from his thumb injury, took over. He had a life on 37 when Naseem Shah found his outside edge, but the ball bisected the keeper and took a wide first slip. Unfortunately, as Crawley, he was guilty of missing what appeared to be a nailed-in century and was dismissed for the fourth time between 70 and 90 since his third Test hundred against India in Rajkot in February.

However, as soon as he arrived, Brook confidently took over the mantle of attacker with a score of 249 to 3.

In the previous Pakistan tour, Brook had introduced himself to the world with a player-of-the-series turn of 468 runs at 93.60 and centuries in all three Tests. Two years later, a guided four-to-three point from his second shot showed he had returned to give the hosts more.

Despite a hint of reverse momentum – first with Jamal, then with Afridi – Brooks' speed out of the blocks could not be slowed. Afridi felt the full force of it as a short throw smashed into the ground like a tennis forehand for the first time in a row. Brook reached his half-century in 49 deliveries, his fifth fifty-plus score in six innings against Pakistan.

Abrar, meanwhile, remained the target of England's ire in the afternoon session as he produced three figures of his own. At one point, Root decided to bat left-handed against the legspinner, who hid the ball outside leg stump on an unresponsive track.

That Abrar was able to string together some boundary-pushing overs was entirely thanks to Root and Brook, who decided to milk singles with the field spread. He currently has unflattering figures of 0 for 123 from 24 overs. A quick look at Saim Ayub's part-time appearance before tea highlighted captain Shan Masood's desperation for a breakthrough.