England strengthened their grip on the third Test at Edgbaston after another commanding display with the ball left Pakistan’s fragile batting line-up in trouble yet again. Pakistan were dismissed for just 133 after England captain Joe Root opted to bowl first under a cloudy morning sky. England moved to 156-4 by the close, giving them a 23-run lead and putting them firmly on course for a 3-0 series sweep.
Despite the pitch appearing well suited to batting, England’s revamped pace attack made the most of the conditions and produced another clinical performance. Josh Tongue led the way with 4-42, while Ollie Robinson claimed 3-15 to reach the landmark of 100 Test wickets. Jofra Archer completed the attack’s excellent effort with three wickets of his own.
The defeat of Pakistan’s top order was particularly damaging, with none of their first five batters reaching double figures. Saud Shakeel offered some resistance with 43, while Muhammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali provided a late spark, putting together 26 for the final wicket, the highest partnership of the innings.
Pakistan’s struggles were all the more striking given the upheaval surrounding the team during the week. Seven players were sent home, seven replacements were brought into the squad, and the coaching staff was reshuffled, yet the batting problems that plagued the first two Tests remained unchanged.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for just 133 runs in their first innings on the opening day of the third Test against England at Edgbaston. Batting first, Pakistan struggled against England’s bowling attack and were dismissed in just 33.5 overs.
Saud Shakeel was the standout batter for Pakistan, scoring 43 runs. Mohammad Abbas made 21, while Razullah scored 11, Azan Owais 9, captain Babar Azam 7, Shan Masood 5, Mohammad Imran 5, Ghazi Ghauri 4 and Abdullah Shafiq 3. Saim Ayub was dismissed for a duck, while Mohammad Ali remained unbeaten on 5. For England, Josh Tongue was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer claimed three wickets each.
Earlier, Pakistan suffered another dramatic batting collapse on the opening day of the third Test against England at Edgbaston, slumping to 60 for five. Star batter Babar Azam failed to steady the innings, falling for just seven runs off 15 deliveries as England’s bowlers continued to expose Pakistan’s fragile top order.
The latest collapse adds to a disastrous Test tour for Pakistan, who suffered heavy defeats in the opening two matches at Headingley and Lord’s. The disappointing results have already triggered major upheaval within the team, with several squad members and coaching staff facing sweeping changes. With five wickets down for just 60 runs, Pakistan now face another uphill battle to stay competitive in the series.