England secured a comprehensive home series whitewash against Pakistan, wrapping up the three‑match Test contest with a decisive chase of 130 runs on the fourth day of the final Test at Edgbaston. The victory came despite a nervous start that saw the hosts wobble early in the innings, but a steady partnership between captain Joe Root and rising batsman Jordan Cox steadied the ship and delivered the win in just 24.2 overs. The prospect of England losing the match seemed almost unimaginable when Pakistan’s fast bowler Ollie Robinson ripped through the visitors’ top order on the second evening, leaving them reeling at 0‑2 with a massive 320‑run deficit still looming. The tension escalated further on the fourth morning when England lost two wickets in the very first over of their chase, prompting a brief flicker of panic among the home crowd.
Ben Duckett, who had endured a barren series, was the first to fall, caught behind off Mohammad Abbas’s second‑innings figures of 2‑27. The dismissal was followed swiftly by a lbw decision against Emilio Gay, who was bowled by the same bowler, completing a dramatic opening burst for Pakistan that threatened to swing the momentum.
However, the English side quickly recovered under the leadership of their skipper. Joe Root, unbeaten on 62, crafted a composed fifty, while Jordan Cox, also not out on 59, added his third half‑century of the series. Their unbroken 128‑run stand anchored the chase, allowing England to reach the target with eight wickets in hand and sealing the series 3‑0.
**First innings scores** - Pakistan: 133 all out in 33.5 overs (Saud Shakeel 43, Mohammad Abbas 21; Josh Tongue 4‑42, Ollie Robinson 3‑15, Jofra Archer 3‑25) - England: 453 all out in 89 overs (Harry Brook 75, Jamie Smith 69, Dan Lawrence 65, Emilio Gay 60, Ollie Robinson 50; Razaullah 4‑148) **Second innings scores** - Pakistan: 449 all out in 96.4 overs (Shan Masood 95, Razaullah 81 off 63 balls, Babar Azam 76, Azan Awais 59; Gus Atkinson 3‑109) - England: 130‑2 in 24.2 overs (Joe Root 62, Jordan Cox 59; Mohammad Abbas 2‑27) A key moment that could have altered the outcome occurred when Mohammad Ali overstepped while delivering a ball to Root, resulting in a no‑ball that allowed the English captain to stay at the crease when the score was 35‑2. That reprieve proved crucial in stabilising the innings. Cox’s contribution will bolster his case for retaining a place in England’s Test XI as the side prepares for their upcoming three‑match tour of South Africa, which begins on 17 December.
The squad is also looking forward to the return of Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series through injury. There is speculation about whether Bethell or Cox might open the batting in place of Emilio Gay, and whether Cox could take on wicket‑keeping duties should Jamie Smith’s finger injury persist. Pakistan, on the other hand, briefly entertained the notion of defending a sub‑130 target – a feat not achieved in England since the 1997 Ashes when England set Australia 124 and bowled them out for 104.
The last time a team successfully defended a total of 130 or fewer in England was New Zealand’s 93 against England in 1993. Although Pakistan fell short, they showed resilience by extending the match into the fourth day and setting a target that gave England a moment’s pause. One of the series’ brightest spots for Pakistan was the emergence of 21‑year‑old fast‑bowling prodigy Razaullah.
He made an immediate impact by dismissing England’s all‑time leading run‑scorer Joe Root with his fourth ball in Test cricket and went on to claim four wickets in the first innings. With the bat, Razaullah exploded on the third evening, smashing 81 runs off just 63 deliveries and striking the boundary nine times, matching Tim Southee’s record for most sixes by a debutant. Despite the overall disappointment of a 0‑3 series loss, Pakistan displayed fighting spirit in the final Test, particularly through Razaullah’s all‑round performance.
Yet the statistics underscore a broader decline: Pakistan have now lost 11 of their last 12 away Tests and 15 of their previous 20 Test matches, highlighting systemic issues within their cricketing structure. England’s clean sweep reflects the successful transition of leadership after Ben Stokes retired from international cricket earlier in the summer.
Captain Joe Root praised his side’s adaptability and composure in the face of early setbacks: "The amount of uncertainty, noise and, I guess, chaos coming into the series was significant, but the way the guys have dealt with it—being so clinical—has been impressive. To stand here with a 3‑0 win is really pleasing. We were clinical towards the back end, a big partnership saw us home. It’s exactly the sort of thing we’re after and puts us in a nice place going into the winter.
From 2‑2 to see that home with two guys set at the end is a step forward. Everyone contributing shows they’re good enough to perform at this level, which is a really good thing. We’ll have different challenges in the winter and on different surfaces, but we can keep taking strides forward as a group.
That said, we still made 400 twice in these testing conditions." Former England opener Mark Butcher of Sky Sports echoed the sentiment, noting that the series forced England to confront varying conditions, a useful preparation for the upcoming South African tour: "They were made to sweat for it at times, which is a good thing. It gave England pause for thought about differing conditions in Test matches—especially with regard to South Africa where the ball doesn’t move 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 in 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 from Sky Sports, highlighted the deeper challenges facing Pakistan cricket: "There are major problems with Pakistan cricket. 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 if there is to be a brighter future for Pakistan." Fans can continue to follow England’s summer campaign, including the upcoming white‑ball series against Sri Lanka, on Sky Sports.
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