Pakistan’s seam attack proved decisive on a damp, overcast afternoon at Lord's, restricting England to 248 for 9 on the opening day of the second Test. The match began under a heavy drizzle that delayed the start until 12:20 pm on Thursday, and the soggy conditions immediately favoured the visitors.
After winning the toss, Pakistan elected to bowl, and England’s top order crumbled, slipping to 3 for 36 after just 10.3 overs. The day’s drama unfolded against the backdrop of a lingering off‑field controversy involving England bowler Brydon Carse, which had already cast a pall over the team. Captain Joe Root, already under pressure, was the first major casualty, falling for a meagre four runs to left‑arm pacer Mohammad Abbas.
The dismissal was quickly followed by cheap wickets of Ben Duckett (17) and Emilio Gay (8), both also bowled by Abbas, who was clearly in a rich vein of form. Abbas finished with impressive figures of 4‑56, while his fellow fast bowler Mohammad Ali claimed 3‑67, each extracting movement from the damp pitch and producing three spectacular "nip‑back" dismissals that saw Harry Brook (15), Jamie Smith (61) and Ollie Robinson (a duck) depart in quick succession. The England batting summary read: Duckett 17 off 20 balls, Gay 8 off 17, Root 4 off 13, Cox 55 off 105, Brook 14 off 26, Smith 61 off 80.
Pakistan’s bowlers also featured Khurram Ahmed with 1‑79. Pakistan entered the match with captain Babar Azam back in the side, a welcome boost after a 103‑run loss at Headingley the previous week. While their batting showed noticeable improvement, the fielding remained a concern. Wicket‑keeper Mohammad Rizwan and the slip cordon were positioned too deep, allowing several catching opportunities to slip away.
Despite the early setbacks, England managed to claw back some respectability as the weather improved. Middle‑order batsman Jordan Cox produced a resilient half‑century, scoring 55, while Jamie Smith also reached his fifty, providing a much‑needed lift for a side that had endured a lean spell for the wicket‑keeper‑batsman. Their partnership of 67 runs off 97 balls was a bright spot, though it was eventually broken by a spectacular one‑handed catch taken by Pakistan all‑rounder Salman Agha, who dove to snatch a lofted edge off Cox.
"I was trying to ride the wave a little bit," Smith told Sky Sports after his innings. "It isn’t the most free‑scoring at times here – you can feel a bit out of rhythm but then catch up.
I felt I scratched around at the start, but once I found the middle of the bat, it was slightly different to how I usually play, which is almost at top tempo to start with. That seemed to help today." Other notable performances included Gus Atkinson, who bowled a tight spell of 34 runs without taking a wicket, and the return of Josh Tongue, who was slated to re‑join the attack on Friday morning after play was halted at 6:10 pm due to bad light. The umpires, deeming conditions unsafe, decided not to resume the day’s play.
Abbas’s spell of success was a stark contrast to his solitary wicket at Headingley. He began the day by dismissing Gay with a sharp catch at leg‑side, assisted by Rizwan’s diving reflexes. Early in the innings, Duckett edged a delivery to the slips but the ball fell short, allowing him to survive the first over. After facing 20 balls, Abbas finally trapped Duckett lbw; the on‑field decision was initially not out, but a review confirmed the dismissal as a clean hit on the stumps.
Root’s dismissal came shortly after his arrival at the crease. Imam‑ul‑Haq produced a thin edge that was caught at third slip, while Usman Khawaja came close to a further catch. In the next over, Abbas bowled a delivery that struck the leg‑stump, and Root was given out lbw, unable to get his bat in line. Harry Brook’s brief cameo began explosively; he struck Ali for four through square leg on his very first ball.
However, his aggression was short‑lived as Ali produced a delivery that snapped back onto the off‑stump, a moment many commentators hailed as the delivery of the day. At the lunch interval England were 80 for 4, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Stability arrived in the form of a 43‑run partnership between Cox and Dan Lawrence, but the latter’s innings ended in a bizarre run‑out after a mix‑up between the batsmen. Cox went on to hit seven boundaries, reaching his half‑century, and later joined Smith in building a partnership that briefly revived England’s hopes.
The partnership was eventually broken when Salman Agha dived spectacularly to claim a one‑handed catch off an edge from Cox. Ali then struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both Smith and Robinson with two stunning back‑of‑the‑hand catches, further denting England’s resurgence. The final wicket to fall was that of Archer, who managed a six into the Lord’s Pavilion before being bowled by Abbas, who removed the bails as the day concluded. Looking ahead, day two promises more action as England seeks to post a competitive total and Pakistan aims to capitalize on the early momentum.
Fans can catch the live broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 pm on Friday, and those without a subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals for streaming options. Overall, the first day highlighted Pakistan’s bowling prowess in English conditions, the importance of disciplined field placements, and England’s resilience in the face of early adversity. The match remains finely poised, with both sides needing to adapt quickly as the weather clears and the series progresses.