ISLAMABAD, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- England's cricket team on Monday defeated Pakistan in the first of the three-match Test series by 74 runs at Pakistan's garrison city of Rawalpindi.
England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the second encounter to be started on December 9 in Multan city of eastern Punjab province.
It's England's third Test victory in Pakistan during the last seven decades since the two teams started playing cricket against each other.
Earlier on the fourth day of the five-day game on Sunday, England set a target of 343 runs for Pakistan to chase, but the latter went all-out at 268 runs minutes before the end of the match.
Ollie Robinson won the player of the match award for his wonderful bowling in both innings and 37 precious runs in the first inning.
Pakistani captain Babar Azam said, in the post-match ceremony, that the Pakistani side was not up to the mark, "we made some mistakes and could not remain stick to our plans. England provided an opportunity but we could not make a partnership to win the match."
England's captain Ben Stokes said, "We try to focus on ourselves, take the favorable option and not second guess ourselves with what the opposition might do. We have an exciting team and it was a great pitch to bat on, so there was a chance for us to go and express ourselves."
"We wanted to come here and carry on with our mantra of exciting cricket and giving ourselves an opportunity to win. I think it's maybe up there with one of England's greatest away wins," added Stokes.
