England vs Pakistan | England reduced Pakistan to 100 for seven at lunch on day one of the third Test at Edgbaston.
England won the toss and chose to bowl first under cloudy conditions. Their decision quickly paid off as Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals.
Ollie Robinson struck first by dismissing Saim Ayub for a duck. He then removed Abdullah Shafique for three as Pakistan slipped to 24 for three.
Jofra Archer added to Pakistan’s problems by dismissing Azan Awais for nine. He then removed Shan Masood for six, leaving Pakistan in deep trouble at 26 for four.
Josh Tongue then took control of the innings. The England seamer dismissed captain Babar Azam for seven.
Tongue later removed debutant Ghazi Ghori for four. He also bowled Mohammad Imran for five with a sharp yorker.
Pakistan reached 100 for seven by lunch after 23 overs. Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 37 and offered the strongest resistance for the visitors.
Razaullah Wazir was unbeaten on 11 at the interval. Both players faced the difficult task of rebuilding Pakistan’s innings after the top order collapsed.
England Seamers Exploit Pakistan Batting Crisis
England’s pace attack made excellent use of the overcast conditions. Robinson, Archer, Tongue and Gus Atkinson kept Pakistan’s batters under constant pressure.
Pakistan entered the Test after major changes to its squad. Seven players and two coaches had been sent home following the previous Test.
The reshuffle also brought three Test debutants into the Pakistan side. Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah Wazir and Mohammad Imran received their first opportunities in the format.
The changes came after England took a 2 0 lead in the three match series. England won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs.
They then defeated Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord’s. The hosts now have an opportunity to complete a series sweep at Edgbaston.
Babar Azam’s dismissal added to Pakistan’s problems. The captain had entered the match under pressure after Pakistan’s difficult series and wider off field turmoil.
Meanwhile, Joe Root reached another career milestone by surpassing Australia’s Steve Waugh for Test appearances. Root’s longevity has placed him among the most experienced players in Test cricket.
England also left fast bowler Brydon Carse out of the final Test squad. Sonny Baker retained his place after featuring in the previous match.
For Pakistan, the immediate task remains clear. Shakeel and the lower order must prevent another major collapse and push the score towards a competitive total.
England, however, have seized complete control of the opening session. Their disciplined pace attack has exposed Pakistan’s fragile batting line up on a difficult morning in Birmingham.
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