Joe Root breaks Alastair Cook's England Test runs record

England's Joe Root celebrates after scoring a half-century (50 runs) during the third day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and England at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on 9 October 2024.AFP

Joe Root broke Alastair Cook's England Test record of 12,472 runs on the third day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Multan on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old became England's highest run scorer in Tests, and the fifth highest of all time, when he drove Pakistan seamer Aamer Jamal for a straight boundary to reach 71, the total he had needed to surpass Cook.