NEW DELHI: On the third day of the first Test match between Pakistan and England in Multan on Wednesday, Joe Root smashed Alastair Cook's record of 12,472 runs.
The 33-year-old hit Pakistani seamer Aamer Jamal for a straight boundary to reach the 71 he required to pass Cook and become England's highest run scorer in Test history, ranking seventh all-time.
Both his teammates in the dressing room and a small group of England supporters cheered Root on as he accomplished the feat at Multan Stadium.
To surpass his former captain Cook's record of 161 Tests in a stellar career that concluded in 2018, Root needed 268 innings and 147 Tests.
With a record of 12,474 runs and counting going into the lunch break, Root, who made his Test debut in 2012, was 72 not out.
The all-time list is headed by India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921 from 200 matches.
