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[Watch] Joe Root Turns Shoaib Akhtar As His Lethal Bouncer Unsettles Abrar Ahmed

Joe Root's sharp bumper to Abrar Ahmed [Source: @jatin_malu/X]Joe Root's sharp bumper to Abrar Ahmed [Source: @jatin_malu/X]

England's talismanic cricketer Joe Root showcased his bowling skills as he hit the final nail in Pakistan's coffin, dismissing Abrar Ahmed. Hailed for his incredible batting attributes, Root helped England bundle out Pakistan for 556 runs with his solitary strike. 

The incident occurred during the 149th over of Pakistan's first innings when England were searching for the final breakthrough after toiling hard for five and a half sessions. England skipper Ollie Pope's decision to use Root with the ball worked wonders, with the seasoned campaigner dismissing Abrar with a sharp bumper. 

Bowling the seventh over of his spell, Joe Root initially bowled three dot balls to keep the centurion Agha Salman under the pump. Although he conceded three runs off his next two balls, the legendary cricketer bounced back remarkably, getting rid of Abrar on his final delivery. 


Contrary to Abrar's expectations, Root bowled a bouncer from around the wicket, surprising the batter with his tactics. As the Pakistani spinner guided the ball using his reflexes, Ben Duckett took a sharp catch in slips to send him packing. 

However, Duckett complained of severe pain in his left palm soon after completing the catch. His left thumb was swollen, and he instantly waved his hands towards the dressing room, asking for medical attention from the English physio. 

England Lose Pope Early As Root Joins Crawley In The Middle

In response to Pakistan's mammoth first innings score, England had a disastrous start to their innings, losing their skipper Ollie Pope for a silver duck. The stylish batter, who opened the batting in place of the injured Ben Duckett, fell prey to Aamir Jamal's spectacular catch at short mid-wicket. At the time of writing, England were 15 for one, with Crawley and Joe Root batting on 8* and 7*, respectively.