England secured a comprehensive home series whitewash against Pakistan, overcoming a nervous start to chase down a modest target of 130 on the fourth day of the third Test at Edgbaston. The prospect of an English defeat seemed remote when Ollie Robinson skittled the visitors for just two wickets on the second evening, leaving Pakistan still 320 runs behind.
Yet the situation grew precarious when England themselves lost two quick wickets in the opening over of the fourth morning, sparking a brief flash of doubt. Ben Duckett, who had already endured a dismal series, was the first to fall, nicking a first‑ball delivery from Mohammad Abbas (2‑27) for a duck. The dismissal was followed almost immediately by Emilio Gay, who was given out lbw to the same bowler, completing a dramatic opening spell for Pakistan. Any fears of a catastrophic English collapse were quickly allayed by captain Joe Root, who responded with a composed half‑century, scoring 62 not out.
He forged an unbeaten 128‑run partnership with the young Jordan Cox, who contributed 59 not out. 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) provided the bulk of the runs. Pakistan’s Razaullah claimed four wickets for 148 runs. **Second innings scores** - Pakistan 449 all out (96.4 overs): Shan Masood (95), debutant Razaullah (81 off 63 balls), Babar Azam (76) and Azan Awais (59) built a respectable total.
Gus Atkinson took three wickets for 109 runs. - England 130‑2 (24.2 overs): Joe Root (62 not out) and Jordan Cox (59 not out) chased down the target with ease, while Mohammad Abbas finished with figures of 2‑27.
A pivotal moment came when Mohammad Ali over‑stepped while delivering a ball that struck Root for 23 runs. The no‑ball allowed England to recover from a precarious 35‑2 position, ultimately turning the tide in their favour. Cox’s innings will bolster his case for retaining a place in England’s Test XI when the side embarks on a three‑match tour of South Africa beginning 17 December.
Injured all‑rounder Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series, is expected to return, prompting speculation about whether he or Cox might open the batting in place of Emilio Gay. Should Gay keep his opening slot, Cox could still feature as a specialist wicket‑keeper, a role currently filled by Jamie Smith, who missed the second innings due to a finger injury. 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 time a team defended 130 or fewer in England was in 1993 when New Zealand were dismissed for 93 while chasing 127 at Hamilton.
Despite a generally disappointing series for Pakistan, they displayed resilience in the final Test, extending the contest into a fourth day and setting a target that caused England a moment of concern. The emergence of 21‑year‑old Razaullah was a bright spot; on just his fourth ball in Test cricket he dismissed England’s all‑time leading run‑scorer Joe Root, and later compiled a rapid 81 off 63 balls, striking the boundary nine times and equalling Tim Southee’s debut record for sixes. England’s 3‑0 series win underscores the successful return of 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 chaos coming into the series was significant, but the way the guys have dealt with it, being so clinical, and standing here with a 3‑0 win is really pleasing.
We were clinical towards the back end, 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 had managed to post 400‑plus scores twice in challenging conditions. Former England opener Mark Butcher, commenting for Sky Sports Cricket, noted that the series forced England to “sweat at times, which is a good thing,” and highlighted the learning experience for upcoming tours, especially in South Africa where the ball may not move laterally as much.
He also mentioned a slight concern over the lack of centuries but praised the overall quality of the English side. Urooj Mumtaz, also of Sky Sports Cricket, offered a sobering view of Pakistan cricket, pointing out that the team has struggled abroad, losing 11 of their last 12 away Tests and 15 of their last 20 overall. She emphasized that while Pakistan showed a glimpse of good cricket in this series, substantial work remains to restore the team’s fortunes. 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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