England secured a comprehensive home series whitewash against Pakistan, despite a nervous start, by chasing down a modest target of 130 on the fourth day of the third Test at Edgbaston. The prospect of an English defeat seemed almost impossible when Ollie Robinson skittled the visitors early, leaving them at 0 for 2 on the second evening while Pakistan still trailed by 320 runs. Yet the match appeared to hang in the balance when England themselves lost two wickets in the very first over of the fourth morning.
Ben Duckett, who finished the series on a low note, was dismissed on the first ball of the innings by Mohammad Abbas (figures 2‑27), and Emilio Gay followed shortly after, bowled by Abbas as well, completing a dramatic opening spell for the Pakistani paceman. Any lingering fears of a catastrophic loss were swiftly dispelled by England’s captain.
Joe Root, unbeaten on 62, crafted a composed half‑century and forged an unbroken 128‑run partnership with the young Jordan Cox, who also remained not out on 59. Their steady collaboration guided England to the required total in just 24.2 overs, sealing an eight‑wicket victory. **First innings scores** - Pakistan 133 all out (33.5 overs): top scores from Saud Shakeel (43) and Mohammad Abbas (21).
England bowlers Josh Tongue (4‑42), Ollie Robinson (3‑15) and Jofra Archer (3‑25) shared the wickets. - England 453 all out (89 overs): Harry Brook (75), Jamie Smith (69), Dan Lawrence (65), Emilio Gay (60) and Ollie Robinson (50) contributed heavily. Pakistan’s Mohammad Razaullah claimed four wickets for 148 runs.
**Second innings scores** - Pakistan 449 all out (96.4 overs): Shan Masood (95), Razaullah (81 off 63 balls), Babar Azam (76) and Azan Awais (59) provided the bulk of the runs. Gus Atkinson took three wickets for 109.
- England 130‑2 (24.2 overs): Joe Root (62*) and Jordan Cox (59*) guided the chase, while Mohammad Abbas again featured with figures of 2‑27. Pakistan will be left to ponder what might have been had Mohammad Ali not over‑stepped when delivering a ball that struck Root for 23. The no‑ball allowed Root to survive a precarious 35‑2 situation, ultimately turning the tide in England’s favour.
Cox’s half‑century bolsters his case for retaining a place in the side when England embark on their three‑match tour of South Africa, commencing on 17 December. Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series through injury, is expected to return, raising questions about whether he or Cox could open the innings in place of Emilio Gay. Should Gay keep his opening slot, Cox might also serve as wicket‑keeper, a role currently filled by Jamie Smith, who missed the second innings due to a finger injury that requires a few months to heal.
Pakistan briefly entertained the notion of defending a total under 130 – a feat not achieved in England since the 1997 Ashes when Australia were bowled out for 104 while chasing 124. The last successful defence of a sub‑130 target in a Test on English soil dates back to 1993, when New Zealand were dismissed for 93 while chasing 127 at Hamilton. Despite a largely disappointing series, Pakistan displayed resilience in the final Test, extending the contest into a fourth day and setting a target that gave England a moment’s pause.
The series also uncovered a promising talent in 21‑year‑old debutant Mohammad Razaullah. He dismissed England’s all‑time leading run‑scorer Joe Root with just his fourth ball in Test cricket and went on to claim four wickets.
His explosive batting on the third evening – 81 runs off 63 balls, smashing the ball over the boundary nine times – matched Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes by a debutant. England’s 3‑0 series win is a fitting tribute to Root’s return to the captaincy after Ben Stokes retired from international cricket earlier in the summer.
Root reflected on the triumph, saying, “The amount of uncertainty, noise and chaos at the start of the series was significant, but the way the group responded – being clinical and delivering a 3‑0 win – is extremely satisfying. The big partnership at the end gave us the finish we needed and puts us in a good position heading into the winter.” He added that the contributions from across the squad demonstrated depth and that the team would now face new challenges on different surfaces.
Former England opener Mark Butcher of Sky Sports praised the side, noting that the pressure moments were beneficial: “They were made to sweat at times, which is a good thing. It forced us to think about how we’ll adapt to varying conditions, especially for the upcoming South Africa tour where the ball may not move as much laterally.” He also pointed out a slight concern about the lack of centuries but highlighted the overall positivity of the series.
Urooj Mumtaz, also with Sky Sports, offered a broader perspective on Pakistani cricket: “There are major issues. Pakistan have lost this series, drawn in the West Indies, and been beaten at home by Bangladesh. They’ve now lost 11 of their last 12 away Tests and 15 of the last 20 overall. The numbers are stark, and while there were glimpses of good cricket, substantial work is needed for a brighter future.” Fans can continue to follow England’s summer campaign, including the white‑ball series against Sri Lanka, on Sky Sports.
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