Harry Brook's epic triple ton and Joe Root's record-breaking double century helped England post their highest Test total since World War II on Thursday.
The flat Multan pitch turned into a batting paradise as Brook and Root put together a monstrous 454-run stand for the fifth wicket, pushing England to a jaw-dropping 823/7 before Ollie Pope declared with a massive 267-run lead over Pakistan.
This incredible total marked the fourth highest score in Test cricket history:
952/6d - Sri Lanka vs India, Colombo, 1997
903/7d - England vs Australia, The Oval, 1938
849 - England vs West Indies, Kingston, 1930
823/7d - England vs Pakistan, Multan, 2024*
Harry Brook completes a remarkable Test triple century #PAKvENG | #TestAtHome pic.twitter.com/aOdRwGfBWg
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 10, 2024
Brook’s marathon knock ended at 317, while Root fell for 262. Contributions from Ben Duckett (84) and Zak Crawley (78) also kept the scoreboard ticking.
On Pakistan's side, Naseem Shah and Saim Ayub managed to grab two wickets each, while Shaheen Afridi, Aamer Jamal, and Agha Salman took one apiece. But the Pakistani bowlers were truly under fire, with six of them conceding over 100 runs—a rare, second-ever instance in Test history.
A commendable effort from Joe Root, who brings up his sixth Test double ton #PAKvENG | #TestAtHome pic.twitter.com/bKA1Htup8D
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 10, 2024
England's first innings total also contributed to one of the highest combined first-innings aggregates in Test matches:
1489 - Sri Lanka vs India, Colombo, 1997
1409 - Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Karachi, 2009
1379 - Pakistan vs England, Multan, 2024*
England's dominance with the bat left Pakistan in deep trouble, needing a monumental effort to claw their way back into the match.