Joe Root scripts history, becomes first player to achieve this feat
Joe Root has become the first player to score 3,000 runs as a captain in the World Test Championship. This milestone occurred during a Test match against Pakistan in Leeds.
Why it matters
It highlights a major statistical achievement in international cricket, cementing Root's status as a leading figure in the sport.
Joe Root etched his name into the World Test Championship record books on Friday, becoming the first player to score 3,000 runs as a captain in the WTC during England’s opening Test against Pakistan at Headingley in Leeds.Root needed 42 runs to reach the landmark at the start of the match and completed the milestone in the second session of Day 2. The Yorkshire batter had resumed the day unbeaten on 37 after England reached 112-2 on a rain-affected opening day. He added the remaining five runs after lunch to bring up 3,000 WTC runs as captain.The 35-year-old returned to the England captaincy following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket in June 2026. His latest achievement further underlined his consistency in the longest format, with Root now having 3,000 runs from 34 matches and 63 innings as WTC captain.
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