PAK vs ENG: England’s legendary cricketer Joe Root has etched his name in history as the first batsman to score 5000 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC). Root achieved this remarkable milestone during England’s ongoing Test match against Pakistan at Multan Cricket Stadium. Root, who has been the backbone of England’s batting lineup, reached the landmark while steering his team through a shaky start on day two of the Test.
Pakistan, riding on brilliant centuries from Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, and Agha Salman, posted a daunting first-innings total of 556 runs. England’s reply began poorly, with captain Ollie Pope dismissed for a duck after a sensational catch by Aamir Jamal. However, Joe Root, along with Zak Crawley, stabilized the innings with an unbeaten counterattacking partnership of 92 runs. Root played a composed knock, scoring 32 from 54 balls, including two boundaries, while bringing up his 5000th WTC run.
Root’s dominance in the WTC format is unmatched, as he leads the list of all-time run-getters in the competition. Trailing behind him is Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, who is yet to cross the 4000-run mark. A key reason for Root’s success in the WTC is the sheer number of matches England have played, giving him more opportunities to build his tally. Root has batted in 107 innings, significantly more than Labuschagne, who has played 25 fewer innings.
Rohit Sharma Tops India’s WTC Charts
For India, captain Rohit Sharma leads the pack in terms of WTC runs, amassing 2594 runs in 58 innings. Rohit is followed by Virat Kohli, who has accumulated 2334 runs at an average of 38.90. Cheteshwar Pujara, who has found himself out of favor recently, ranks third with 1769 runs from 69 innings in the prestigious competition.
Root’s achievement further solidifies his status as one of the greatest Test batters of his generation, and with plenty of cricket still ahead in the current WTC cycle, he will look to extend his lead at the top.