England heading for big win in first test as Pakistan crumbles again at Headingley
England heading for big win in first test as Pakistan crumbles again at Headingley
England’s Joe Root, center, catches out Pakistan’s Azan Awais from the bowling of England’s Jofra Archer, left, on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Pakistan’s Shan Masood bats on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Jofra Archer bats on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Jofra Archer, second left, celebrates taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Joe Root, center, catches out Pakistan’s Azan Awais from the bowling of England’s Jofra Archer, left, on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Joe Root, center, catches out Pakistan’s Azan Awais from the bowling of England’s Jofra Archer, left, on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Pakistan’s Shan Masood bats on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Pakistan’s Shan Masood bats on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Jofra Archer bats on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Jofra Archer bats on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Jofra Archer, second left, celebrates taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
England’s Jofra Archer, second left, celebrates taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq on day three of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Leeds, England, Friday Aug. 21, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
LEEDS, England (AP) — Pakistan was facing a fight to avoid an innings defeat to England in the first test at Headingley on Friday after slumping to 59-3 by lunch on Day 3.
England was dismissed for 409 around 40 minutes into the morning session to take a 238-run lead after the first innings, then made immediate inroads into Pakistan’s flaky batting lineup as Jofra Archer removed openers Imam-ul-Haq (0) and Anan Awais (9) inside the first four overs.
Abdullah Shafique (15) edged Ollie Robinson to slip before the interval to leave Pakistan in even more trouble.
England leads by 179 runs and is heading for a big win — potentially inside three days — under new captain Joe Root in the first test match of the post-Bazball era.
Good day for Archer
Archer delivered with bat and ball on Friday.
Resuming on 366-8, England saw its tail add a further 43 runs — with Archer hitting 23 of them after two fours and a six before running out of partners.
Khurram Shahzad claimed England’s final two wickets, with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith miscuing a pull to midwicket for 25 and No. 11 Josh Tongue getting clean-bowled for 8. Still, Khurram was expensive with figures of 3-133.
Archer then got to work with the ball. His fierce, rising delivery was gloved behind by the left-handed Imam off the 11th ball as Pakistan lost its first wicket without scoring for the second straight innings this match.
The tourists plunged to 13-2 when Anan — dismissed off the first ball of the series on Day 1 — nicked Archer to Root at leg-slip.
Shan Masood (28) and Saud Shakeel (5) were in the middle at the end of the session and Archer had figures of 2-27.
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