England secured a comprehensive home series whitewash against Pakistan, overcoming an early wobble to chase down a modest target of 130 runs on the fourth day of the third Test at Edgbaston. The prospect of an English defeat seemed almost unimaginable when Ollie Robinson rattled the visitors to 0 for 2 on the second evening, leaving Pakistan still 320 runs behind. Yet the match teetered on a knife‑edge when England themselves lost two wickets in the very first over of the fourth morning, raising genuine doubts about the final outcome. The day began disastrously for England when Ben Duckett, already out for a duck, was caught on the first ball of his innings by Mohammad Abbas, who claimed his second wicket for 27 runs.
The dismissal was followed swiftly by a leg‑before‑wicket appeal against Emilio Gay, also a duck, completing a startling opening burst for Pakistan that threatened to turn the tide. However, any fears of a catastrophic collapse were swiftly allayed by the composure of England’s captain, Joe Root.
Root, unbeaten on 62, forged a solid fifty and then combined with the young Jordan Cox, who contributed an unbeaten 59, to build an unbroken partnership of 128 runs. Their steady accumulation of runs in a measured 24.2‑over chase ensured England reached the target with eight wickets in hand, sealing a 3‑0 series victory.
**First innings – Pakistan** Pakistan were bundled out for 133 in 33.5 overs. Top‑order contributions came from Saud Shakeel (43) and Mohammad Abbas (21). England’s bowlers shared the spoils: Josh Tongue took 4 for 42, Ollie Robinson 3 for 15, and Jofra Archer 3 for 25. **First innings – England** England responded emphatically, amassing 453 runs in 89 overs.
The batting line‑up was spearheaded by Harry Brook’s elegant 75, Jamie Smith’s gritty 69, Dan Lawrence’s steady 65, Emilio Gay’s composed 60 and a quick‑fire half‑century from Ollie Robinson (50). Pakistan’s lone bowler to make an impact was Razaullah, who claimed 4 wickets for 148 runs.
**Second innings – Pakistan** In the follow‑on, Pakistan posted 449 all out in 96.4 overs, with Shan Masood narrowly missing a century at 95, Razaullah exploding for 81 off just 63 balls, Babar Azam contributing 76 and Azan Awais adding 59. England’s Gus Atkinson was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 109. **Second innings – England** Chasing a modest 130, England lost two early wickets but recovered through the steady partnership of Root and Cox, reaching the target in 24.2 overs with eight wickets to spare.
The match also featured a dramatic moment when Mohammad Ali overstepped while delivering a ball that struck Root for 23, the no‑ball allowing England to stay at 35 for 2 instead of being in deeper trouble. This reprieve proved pivotal as the partnership that followed turned the game decisively in England’s favour. Cox’s half‑century will bolster his case for a regular spot in the England XI when the side embarks on its three‑match tour of South Africa beginning 17 December.
The return of Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series through injury, adds further intrigue to the batting order debate – could Bethell or Cox open the innings in place of Emilio Gay? Should Gay retain his opening berth, Cox might be considered for the wicket‑keeping role, especially as Jamie Smith missed the second innings due to a finger injury that is expected to heal over the next three months. Pakistan briefly entertained the notion of defending a sub‑130 total – a feat not achieved in England since the 1997 Ashes when England set Australia 124 and bowled them out for 104.
The last successful defence of a target below 130 in England was New Zealand’s 93 against England in 1993 at Hamilton, making Pakistan’s effort a rare and noteworthy attempt despite the ultimate failure. Despite a disappointing series overall, Pakistan displayed resilience in the final Test, extending the contest to the fourth day and setting a target that momentarily unsettled England. The series also uncovered a promising talent in 21‑year‑old Razaullah. The debutant made an immediate impact, dismissing England’s all‑time leading run‑scorer Joe Root in the first innings with just his fourth ball in Test cricket and later delivering a four‑wicket haul.
His explosive batting on the third evening – 81 runs from 63 deliveries, striking nine sixes and matching Tim Southee’s debut record for sixes – will be remembered as a highlight of the tour. Ultimately, England’s 3‑0 series win was well earned, marking a triumphant return for Joe Root as Test captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement earlier in the summer. Root reflected on the achievement, saying, “The amount of uncertainty, noise and I guess chaos there was coming into the series, the way the guys have dealt with that – being so clinical with what we’ve had in front of us – and to stand here with a 3‑0 win is really pleasing.
We were clinical towards the back end there, a big partnership to see us home. It’s exactly the sort of thing we’re after and puts us in a nice place going into the winter.” He added that contributions from across the squad showed depth and that the team would now face new challenges on different surfaces in the upcoming winter series.
Former England opener Mark Butcher, speaking for Sky Sports Cricket, praised the side’s resilience: “They were made to sweat for it at times, which is a good thing. It gave England pause for thought when it comes to differing conditions in Test matches – particularly with regards to South Africa and the ball not moving laterally as much. Perhaps a slight concern about the lack of centuries by the batters, but there were a lot of good things about England this Test series. They weren’t given much of a challenge for most of it, which is why yesterday was such a pleasing day as far as the summer is concerned.” Urooj Mumtaz, also of Sky Sports, offered a sobering view of Pakistan’s situation: “There are problems with Pakistan cricket, major problems.
They lost this series, drew in the West Indies, lost to Bangladesh at home, where their record isn’t particularly good. They have now lost 11 out of 12 away from home and 15 out of the last 20 Test matches. Those are telling figures, as were the size of England’s wins. Pakistan maybe had just one good day of cricket in the Test series.
There are ingredients to work with but a lot needs to be done right for longer periods of time if there is to be a brighter Pakistan future.” Fans can catch every England match this international summer live on Sky Sports, including the upcoming white‑ball series against Sri Lanka, which kicks off with the first T20 International on Tuesday. Those without a Sky subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals or stream the action contract‑free via NOW.