England finished day three of the first Test in Multan on 492-3 - they could close in on their highest post-war Test total on day four.
Joe Root and Harry Brook shared an unbroken 243-run partnership, a new record for the fourth wicket for England against Pakistan. Both Brook and Root finished with centuries, Root unbeaten on 176 overnight and Brook unbeaten on 141. In the morning session, Root became England's leading Test run-scorer of all-time, overtaking Alastair Cook, and moved into fifth place on the overall all-time rankings. Brook's century was the sixth of his career and his fourth against Pakistan in as many Tests.
Despite a near perfect day in which only two wickets fell, England still trail Pakistan by 64 runs. With only two days remaining, they will need to bat quickly on day four to have any chance of forcing a victory. Jamie Smith is the only recognised specialist batter left to come in, with Chris Woakes set to bat at seven as Ben Stokes continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
England still have quite a way to go to better their highest score of the Bazball era. The total in Multan currently sits in fourth position of their highest scores since Brendon McCullum took over as coach. Their totals of 524-4d against Ireland at Lord's last year, 539 all out against New Zealand in 2022, 592 against Australia in Manchester in the 2023 Ashes and 657 all out in Rawalpindi the last time they were in Pakistan, are still for them to overhaul.
Full list: Could England record their highest post-war Test total?
| Opposition | Score | Venue | Year |
| India | 710-7d | Edgbaston | 2011 |
| Pakistan | 657 | Rawalpindi | 2022 |
| India | 653-4d | Lord's | 1990 |
| India | 652-7d | Chennai | 1985 |
| Australia | 644 | Sydney | 2011 |
| India | 633-5d | Edgbaston | 1979 |
England's highest men's Test total in the post-war era was in 2011 against India at Edgbaston. After England bowled India out for 224 in the first innings, Alastair Cook scored his highest Test score of 294 while Eoin Morgan also scored a century. The win in that Test saw them take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series, and ensured they became the No.1 ranked Test side in the world for the first time ever.
In second place on the list is England's Bazball Rawalpindi assault, just ahead of a win at Lord's against India in 1990. That match was when Graham Gooch scored a triple century - the fifth England player to do so - as well as featuring centuries from Allan Lamb and Robin Smith.
The fourth Test on the list was an England victory in India, and innings which saw Graeme Fowler and Mike Gatting score double-centuries. That's followed by another of England's 2011 team's famous wins, in Sydney to finish off the 2010/11 Ashes with another Cook masterclass.
While England still have a way to go to breach these totals in Multan, given how ineffective Pakistan's bowlers looked on a dead pitch on day three, they could well find themselves threatening Edgbaston 2011 on day four.
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