England Take Command in 1st Test Against Pakistan
England ended Day 2 of the first cricket Test against Pakistan at Headingley in a dominant position on August 20, 2026. The hosts reached 366/8 in 82 overs, replying to Pakistan’s meagre first‑innings score of 171. England now lead by 195 runs heading into Day 3. The play starts at 3:30 IST.
England’s Batting Performance
England’s batting was steady and aggressive throughout the day. Joe Root and Ben Cox scored fluent fifties, laying the foundation for a big total.
Later, Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence added more than 100 runs together, lifting the scoring rate and frustrating Pakistan’s bowlers. Brook once again missed out on a century, falling in the 90s.
Pakistan’s Fightback
Pakistan’s spinner Ali Usman was the standout performer. He claimed five wickets, including the dismissal of Ollie Robinson first ball.
Usman became the first Pakistani spinner since Yasir Shah in 2016 to take a five‑for in England. His spell slowed England’s charge and gave Pakistan hope of restricting the lead.
Playing XI
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Cox, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir.
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam‑ul‑Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Agha Salman, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali and Ali Usman.
The red-ball battle begins! Pakistan and England face off in the 1st Test, with both sides eyeing early control. Who will dominate from the opening session? Don’t miss the action LIVE on Tamasha from 19-23 Aug. Download now: https://t.co/qC0VFoXTnv 🤳🏻#AbDekhTamasha #PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/vEeeBpTSvJ
— Tamasha (@tamasha_digital) August 18, 2026
Pakistan vs England TV Channels & Live Streaming
- India: Streaming on FanCode app and website
- Pakistan: Live on PTV Sports and Ten Sports; streaming on Tamasha app
- Bangladesh: Telecast on GTV and T Sports; streaming on Tapmad app
- UK: Broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket
- Worldwide: Streaming available on FanCode and regional broadcasters
England are firmly in control after two days, but Pakistan’s Ali Usman has kept the contest alive with his five‑wicket haul.
Day 3 will be crucial in deciding whether Pakistan can fight back or if England tighten their grip further.
Pakistan are currently way below the World Test ranking. If they lose this test and the series, they will further slip in the ranking.
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