Pakistan v England: Hosts face 'harsh reality' after collapsing to record defeat in Multan

Jack Leach runs through Pakistan lower order to secure easy victory by an innings and 47 runs

England captain Ollie Pope, left, celebrates with spinner Jack Leach, right, after winning the first Test against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium. AFP

England bowlers completed the formalities early on Friday as they secured a thumping win over Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test in Multan.

Spinner Jack Leach ran through the lower order as England completed one of the most remarkable victories in Test cricket, which was set up by a record partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root.

England did not take much time to wrap up victory on Day 5, dismissing the hosts for 220 with spinner Abrar Ahmed unavailable to bat due to fever and hospitalisation.

It was England's fourth consecutive Test win on Pakistan soil following a 3-0 whitewash two years ago.

Left-arm spinner Leach led England's attack with 4-30 and provided the first breakthrough on the fifth day when he dismissed Salman Agha lbw for 63.

Agha and Aamer Jamal had added 109 before Leach opened the floodgates. He then took a smart return catch to get Shaheen Afridi for 10 and then had Naseem Shah stumped for six, wrapping up Pakistan's second innings.

It was a stunning turn of events for the hosts, who has amassed 556 in the first innings. Pakistan thus became the first team in the history of Test cricket to lose a Test by an innings after scoring more than 500.

The defeat added more pressure on captain Shan Masood who has endured a horror start to his captaincy. Under Masood, Pakistan have slumped to six consecutive defeats, including three in Australia and two at home against Bangladesh.

"It can't be more disappointing than this," said Masood. "Harsh reality is that England found a way to win after two days under the sun and 556 behind.

"Then they batted big and when they came back with the ball they had a plan and created a window of opportunity in the second innings. So the harsh reality in Test cricket is no matter what the pitch\, [a] quality side finds a way to win."

Ollie Pope, standing in for injured skipper Ben Stokes, was full of praise for Brook and Root's heroics.

Brook smashed a record 317 and Root hit 262 in England's mammoth 823-7 declared, giving the visitors a 267-run lead.

Their 454-run stand, England's highest partnership for any wicket in Test cricket, gave the visitors the upper hand after Pakistan batted for nearly two days in the first innings.

"We knew the way to win this game was to put a mammoth score on the board," Pope said.

"I think that's credit to [Brook and Root] for the skills they've got with the bat, the determination they had to put the team in a winning position. So it was awesome."

Pope also lauded the determination shown by England's inexperienced bowling, especially the young pacers who reduced Pakistan to 152-6 on Dah 4 on a flat pitch.

"Our bowlers got the odd ball to reverse and spin," he said of Gus Atkinson, who took 2-46, and debutant Brydon Carse who finished with 2-66.

Pakistan have now gone 11 Tests without a win at home, their last win coming against South Africa in February 2021.

The second Test starts at the same venue from Tuesday while the third match is in Rawalpindi from October 24.