Joe Root and Harry Brook smashed double centuries as England dominated the morning session on Day 4 of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan on Thursday.
Root scored his sixth double century from 305 balls with a single off Agha Salman to power England to 658/3 in 130 overs, scoring at a run rate of more than five, in reply to Pakistan's 556 all out.
Brook scored his maiden double hundred as he hit a fluent 218 from 257 balls as the duo were involved in an unbeaten stand of 400 runs for the fourth wicket from 485 balls.
Root got a lifeline when he was dropped on 186 by Babar Azam at midwicket off the bowling of pacer Naseem Shah in the 105th over.
Root and Brook took apart the Pakistan bowlers, as they scored 166 runs in 29 overs in the morning session.
He had brought up his 35th Test century on Day 3 on Wednesday as he went past the legendary trio of Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Younis Khan, who had made 34 centuries in their career.
This was Root's fifth century in 2024 -- the joint most by any player this year along with Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis. He is the only batter to go past the 1000-run mark in 2024.
The 33-year-old England batter has the most centuries by any active player in Test cricket. He is sixth in the overall list behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis 45, Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38) and Rahul Dravid (36).
This was the third time that Root had scored five centuries in a calendar year, having earlier achieved the feat in 2021 and 2022.
Root also achieved another landmark to his name as he eclipsed Alastair Cook's tally of 12,472 runs when he reached 71 not out with an elegantly driven boundary on the third day.
