England pulled off one of their greatest victories with a 74-run win over Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi on Monday.
With the sun dropping at the end of a tension-filled final day, England took the last wicket with only minutes of light remaining.
In scenes reminiscent of England’s famous victory in the dark in Karachi in 2000, Jack Leach trapped Naseem Shah lbw to leave Pakistan 268 all out, 75 short of their target of 343.
That England were in a position to win was thanks to James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, who gave a masterful exhibition of reverse-swing bowling to claim four wickets each.
Pakistan were defiant throughout. Saud Shakeel made 76, Mohammad Rizwan 46 and Azhar Ali 40. At 176-3 and 259-5, the home side were right in the hunt.
But after Robinson removed Salman Agha and Azhar, England could only be defeated by the fading light.
With the stadium nearly full and the crowd engrossed, 40-year-old Anderson snared Zahid Mahmood and Haris Rauf in the same over.
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Naseem and Mohammad Ali survived for 52 balls, before Leach sent England into wild celebrations.
There is only a three-day gap to the second Test in Multan on Friday, when England will have the chance to secure the series.
Final scores in the match: England 657 & 264-7 declared; Pakistan 579 & 268.
