Fast bowlers Ollie Robinson and James Anderson took four wickets apiece as England pulled off an exciting 74-run win over Pakistan on Monday in the first Test in Rawalpindi.

Anderson took 4-36 and Robinson 4-50 on a placid Rawalpindi Stadium pitch to dismiss Pakistan for 268, with the stadium floodlights glowing as daylight faded.

The win is England's seventh in eight Tests under the new management of McCullum and Stokes, installed in May this year.

A total of 1,236 runs were scored by the two teams in their first innings -- England 657 and Pakistan 579 -- before the visitors set the Test alight by declaring their second innings at 264-7 on Sunday.

The second Test is in Multan from December 9 to 13, and the third in Karachi from December 17 to 21.