England vs Pakistan 1st Test LIVE: Day 1 Score, Updates & Highlights

England vs Pakistan 1st Test Day 1 LIVE: Pakistan 23/2 as Rain Stops Play at Headingley

England vs Pakistan 1st Test LIVE: Joe Root has officially begun his second stint as England’s Test captain, but it was Ollie Robinson who stole the opening headlines at Headingley on Wednesday.

England won the toss and elected to bowl first in the opening Test of the three-match series. Pakistan were reduced to 23/2 after 9.4 overs before rain stopped play. Robinson produced an outstanding opening spell, taking both wickets, while Abdullah Shafique was unbeaten on 12 and Imam-ul-Haq was 5 not out when the players left the field.

Play is scheduled to resume at 1:10pm BST, with lunch due at 12:30pm, weather permitting.

The first Test is being played at Headingley in Leeds, and the match marks the beginning of a new chapter for England following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket.

ENG vs PAK Live Score: Pakistan 23/2

Pakistan 23/2 after 9.4 overs

Batter	Score
Abdullah Shafique	12*
Imam-ul-Haq	5*
Shan Masood	5
Azan Awais	0

England bowling

Bowler	Figures
Ollie Robinson	5-1-12-2
Gus Atkinson	2.4-0-10-0
Jofra Archer	2-2-0-0

Rain has currently halted play.

Joe Root Returns as England Captain

Joe Root is back in charge of England’s Test team.

Root previously led England between 2017 and 2022 and has now returned to the captaincy following the retirement of Ben Stokes.

The move comes at an important moment for England Test cricket. The team is moving beyond the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, although Root has made it clear that he does not intend to completely abandon the attacking philosophy that defined England’s recent Test cricket.

Speaking before the match, Root said England need to adapt to different situations rather than follow just one style of Test cricket. He also stressed that there was no need to throw away everything built during the Stokes-McCullum period.

That makes this series particularly interesting: will England continue with an aggressive approach, or will Root’s leadership bring a more controlled version of the style?

The first morning at Headingley offered an early clue.

England Win Toss and Choose to Bowl

England won the toss and Joe Root chose to field first.

With cloudy conditions at Headingley and the ball moving around early, the decision immediately put Pakistan’s new-look batting order under pressure.

Pakistan are playing without Babar Azam, who is unavailable for the first Test because of a hand injury. Salman Ali Agha is captaining Pakistan in his absence.

The Pakistan XI includes experienced players such as Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, while young opener Azan Awais was handed an opportunity at the top of the order.

Unfortunately for Awais, his Test debut could hardly have started worse.

Ollie Robinson Takes Wicket With First Ball

The first ball of the match produced a wicket.

Ollie Robinson dismissed Azan Awais for a first-ball duck, immediately putting Pakistan under pressure.

It was an exceptional delivery from Robinson, who bowled from around the wicket and brought the ball back into the left-hander. The ball beat Awais’ inside edge and struck him on the pad. After a review, the decision was confirmed.

It was also a landmark moment for Robinson.

The wicket was his 500th first-class wicket, adding another layer to an already dramatic start.

For Pakistan, losing a debutant to the first delivery was a nightmare beginning.

Shan Masood Falls for 5

Pakistan captain Shan Masood attempted to settle things after the early wicket, but Robinson struck again.

Masood was dismissed LBW for 5, with Robinson producing another full delivery that swung back into the left-hander. The ball would have hit the middle stump, according to the live analysis.

Pakistan were suddenly 6/2.

England’s bowlers were exploiting the conditions perfectly, with Robinson particularly dangerous against the left-handed Pakistan batters.

Robinson’s Brilliant Opening Spell

Robinson finished the rain-shortened opening spell with figures of:

5 overs – 1 maiden – 12 runs – 2 wickets

His movement and control made life extremely difficult for Pakistan.

Jofra Archer also opened the bowling but struggled to find consistent rhythm. He bowled only two overs before Joe Root switched things around. Gus Atkinson then joined Robinson in the attack.

The conditions were heavily in favour of England’s seamers, and Root’s decision to bowl first appeared justified.

Pakistan Fight Back Through Shafique and Imam

After losing two early wickets, Pakistan managed to stabilize the innings.

Abdullah Shafique played some confident strokes and reached 12 not out, while Imam-ul-Haq remained unbeaten on 5.

Shafique also survived an England review for a possible caught-behind dismissal. England believed there had been an inside edge, but the review showed the ball had brushed the batter’s hip rather than his bat. England therefore lost their second review of the morning.

At the rain break, Pakistan were 23/2 after 9.4 overs.

Rain Stops Play at Headingley

Just as Pakistan began to settle, the weather intervened.

Rain became heavy enough for the players to leave the field after 9.4 overs. The match was temporarily stopped with Pakistan on 23/2.

The latest schedule has lunch at 12:30pm BST, followed by a planned restart at 1:10pm BST, provided conditions allow play to resume.

The weather could therefore become a major factor in the opening Test.

Pakistan Without Babar Azam

Pakistan’s preparations were already complicated by the absence of Babar Azam.

Babar suffered a hand injury during a warm-up match and was ruled out of the first Test. Salman Ali Agha has taken over as captain for the series opener, with Pakistan hoping Babar can return later in the series.

That puts additional responsibility on experienced batters such as Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan.

Masood, however, has already departed.

With Pakistan 23/2, the pressure is now firmly on Shafique and Imam to rebuild the innings.

England’s New Test Era Begins

This match represents more than just the opening game of a Test series.

It is the start of a new phase for England.

Ben Stokes has retired from international cricket, while Brendon McCullum has stepped away from the Test coaching role. Joe Root is back as captain, with Marcus Trescothick involved in the interim coaching setup before Stephen Fleming takes over later in the year.

Root has already indicated that England will retain elements of the aggressive cricket that became synonymous with the Stokes-McCullum era.

But the key difference could be adaptability.

Instead of trying to attack regardless of circumstances, Root wants England to understand the match situation and adjust accordingly.

The opening morning at Headingley has been a good example: England attacked with their seamers, used the conditions intelligently and immediately put Pakistan under pressure.

England vs Pakistan 1st Test: Live Match Timeline

10:34 BST — Toss

England win the toss and choose to bowl first.

11:01 BST — WICKET!

Ollie Robinson strikes with the first ball of the Test, dismissing Azan Awais for 0.

11:26 BST — WICKET!

Robinson strikes again. Shan Masood is dismissed LBW for 5.

Pakistan fall to 6/2.

11:50 BST — England review

England review a possible caught-behind dismissal against Abdullah Shafique. The review shows no bat, and Shafique survives.

11:52 BST — Rain stops play

Pakistan are 23/2 after 9.4 overs. Shafique is 12*, Imam 5*.

12:29 BST — Restart planned

Lunch is scheduled for 12:30pm, with play planned to resume at 1:10pm BST, weather permitting.

What To Watch When Play Resumes

The biggest question is whether Pakistan can survive the new-ball period.

Robinson has already shown that he can extract movement from the Headingley conditions. If the cloud cover remains, England’s seamers could continue to cause problems.

For Pakistan, Abdullah Shafique is currently the key batter. His partnership with Imam-ul-Haq could determine whether Pakistan reach a competitive first-innings total.

For England, Root will want to maximize the conditions without overusing his fast bowlers early in the match.

And then there is the bigger storyline: how will Joe Root’s second captaincy era develop?

The first morning has certainly started well for him.

England vs Pakistan 1st Test: Day 1 Key Facts

Match: England vs Pakistan, 1st Test
Date: August 19–23, 2026
Venue: Headingley, Leeds
England captain: Joe Root
Pakistan captain: Salman Ali Agha
Toss: England won and elected to bowl
Latest Pakistan score: 23/2 after 9.4 overs
Top Pakistan scorer: Abdullah Shafique, 12*
England’s best bowler: Ollie Robinson, 5-1-12-2
Weather: Rain interruption
Next scheduled restart: 1:10pm BST, weather permitting

FAQs

What is the England vs Pakistan 1st Test live score?

At the latest available update, Pakistan are 23/2 after 9.4 overs. Abdullah Shafique is unbeaten on 12 and Imam-ul-Haq is unbeaten on 5.

Who is captain of England against Pakistan?

Joe Root is England’s Test captain. This is his second stint as permanent England Test captain.

Who is captaining Pakistan?

Salman Ali Agha is captaining Pakistan in the first Test because Babar Azam is unavailable due to a hand injury.

Who took Pakistan’s wickets?

Ollie Robinson took both wickets, dismissing Azan Awais for 0 and Shan Masood for 5.

Why has England vs Pakistan been stopped?

Rain stopped play at Headingley after 9.4 overs, with Pakistan on 23/2. The latest update scheduled lunch for 12:30pm BST and a potential restart at 1:10pm BST.