PAK Vs ENG: Joe Root Becomes First-Ever Batter To Score 5000 Runs In WTC History
Root achieved the milestone during Multan Test [Source: @JoeRoot66Fan/X]
England's legendary cricketer Joe Root became the first-ever batter to slam 5000 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC) history. The talismanic English batter achieved the milestone during his side's ongoing Test match against Pakistan at Multan Cricket Stadium.
Riding on scintillating centuries from Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood and Agha Salman, Pakistan posted a mammoth 556-run total in their first innings. In response, England had a shaky start to their innings, losing captain Ollie Pope for a duck, thanks to a spectacular catch from Aamir Jamal.
However, Joe Root stabilised the English innings alongside Zak Crawley. The duo stitched an unbeaten counterattacking stand of 92 runs, ensuring England had no further hiccup before stumps on day two.
The stylish English batter struck two boundaries for his 54-ball 32*, breaching the 5000-run landmark in this process. Currently, Joe Root claims the top position on the list of most successful batters in WTC history, followed by Marnus Labuschagne, who has yet to score 4000 runs.
Most Runs In WTC History
Batter | Innings | Runs |
---|---|---|
Joe Root | 107 | 5005* |
Marnus Labuschagne | 82 | 3904 |
Steve Smith | 78 | 3486 |
Ben Stokes | 88 | 3101 |
Babar Azam | 57 | 2755 |
Root's astounding success in WTC can also be attributed to the number of matches England have played during the period. While Root has come out to bat in 107 innings, the second-placed Labuschagne has played 25 innings less than him.
Rohit Sharma Leads India's Chart In WTC
Meanwhile, captain Rohit Sharma is India's most successful batter in the WTC, with 2594 runs in 58 innings. The stylish Mumbaikar is followed by the legendary Virat Kohli, who has 2334 runs at an average of 38.90. The out-of-favour Cheteshwar Pujara is India's third most successful batter in the prestigious competition, having amassed 1769 runs in 69 innings.