England will take on Pakistan in the second Test of their 3-match series at Lord's Cricket Ground in London from Thursday, August 27, 2026. With important ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 points at stake, the second Test carries plenty of significance.
Joe Root’s England took a 1-0 lead after their dominant innings and 103-run win in the first Test at Headingley. They showed signs of improvement after a difficult period in Test cricket. Their pace attack exposed Pakistan’s batting, while the middle order built a decisive first-innings lead.
Pakistan are under pressure to keep the series alive. They have won only 1 of their 5 Tests in 2026, including a 2-0 series defeat against Bangladesh. Babar Azam’s side will need a major improvement with the bat, and the skipper would add stability to the side if he returns at Lord’s.
England can seal the series with another win, while Pakistan must respond quickly after their heavy defeat in Leeds. Notably, England's performance in the first Test was overshadowed by Brydon Carse's incident at a Derby nightclub on Saturday.
ENG vs PAK Match Preview & Recent Form
England took a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series after beating Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley. England scored 409 in their only innings, with Harry Brook scoring 91 off 93 balls. Jordan Cox (73), Joe Root (66), and Dan Lawrence (51) chopped in valuable runs.
England’s pace attack then took all 20 Pakistan wickets. Ollie Robinson claimed 8 wickets for 80 runs, including 5/51 in the first innings, and won the Player of the Match award. Josh Tongue also took 8/89, with figures of 5/46 and 3/43. Jofra Archer added 3 wickets in the second innings.
Pakistan struggled against England’s pace attack and were bowled out for 171 in the first innings and 135 in the second. Abdullah Shafique top-scored with 61, while Imam-ul-Haq made 42. Mohammad Rizwan offered some resistance with 41 in the second innings, but Pakistan could not build partnerships.
Ali Usman was Pakistan’s best bowler, taking 5/95 in England’s only innings. Khurram Shahzad claimed 3 wickets, but the attack struggled to contain England once their batters settled. Pakistan will need a much better bowling effort and greater batting discipline at Lord’s.
ENG vs PAK Live Streaming, Live Telecast: Where to Watch 2nd Test?
Cricket fans in India can watch the live streaming of the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test on the SonyLIV app and website. The match will also be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network.
In Pakistan, fans can watch the match live on PTV Sports, Ten Sports, and A-Sports. Digital streaming will be available on the Tapmad app and website, as well as the Tamasha and Myco platforms.
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event will provide live television coverage. Fans can stream the match on Sky Go and NOW. BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will show daily highlights, while BBC Test Match Special will provide radio commentary.
ENG vs PAK Pitch Report: How Will Lord's Cricket Ground Play?
The Lord's pitch usually offers help to fast bowlers on Day 1. The slope between the Pavilion End and Nursery End, along with fresh moisture and grass, can create seam movement and swing, especially under cloudy London skies.
The surface on Days 2 and 3 will provide ideal conditions for batters. As the pitch wears, spinners could find some turn from the footmarks on Days 4 and 5. Variable bounce may become a bigger challenge for the batters.
Teams batting first have traditionally enjoyed an advantage at Lord's, with 56 wins compared to 44 for teams bowling first. Notably, the average fourth-innings score is only 159. The captain winning the toss will need to balance the early help for seamers against the challenge of batting last.
Lord's Cricket Ground Test Stats
Matches Played: 151
Won Batting First: 56
Won Bowling First: 44
Average 1st Innings Score: 308
Average 2nd Innings Score: 296
Average 3rd Innings Score: 256
Average 4th Innings Score: 159
Highest Team Total: 729/6 decl (Australia vs England)
Lowest Team Total: 38 (Ireland vs England)
Highest Score Chased: 344/1 (West Indies vs England)
Lowest Score Defended: 62 (England vs Australia)
Highest Individual Score: 333 (Graham Gooch, England vs India, 1990)
Best Bowling Figures: 8/34 (Ian Botham, England vs Pakistan, 1978)
ENG vs PAK Weather Forecast & Rain Threat at Lord's Cricket Ground
London is expected to see a mix of sunny spells and cloudy conditions during the 5-day Test. Temperatures could range from 22°C to 26°C on Days 1 and 2 before dropping to around 13°C to 17°C later in the match. Light to moderate winds could also help the fast bowlers, especially during the morning sessions.
ENG vs PAK Team News & Injury Updates
Fast bowler Brydon Carse was dropped from the squad and placed under investigation by the Cricket Regulator following an incident at a Derby nightclub. He did not play in the first Test and is unlikely to feature at Lord's.
Pakistan could welcome Babar Azam back after he recovered from a finger injury. Babar averages 65.75 in Test cricket in England and has scored 3 half-centuries in 6 innings there. If he returns at No. 4, Azan Awais could make way.
ENG vs PAK Predicted Playing 11 Today
England Predicted XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
Pakistan Predicted XI: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali.
ENG vs PAK Key Player Battles to Watch
Joe Root vs Mohammad Abbas:
Joe Root scored 66 in the first Test. Abbas will look to exploit the conditions with tight lines and challenge Root's defence.
Babar Azam vs Ollie Robinson:
Babar could return to strengthen Pakistan's batting. Robinson took 8 wickets in the first Test and will look to test Babar's outside edge.
Harry Brook vs Ali Usman:
Brook scored 91 off 93 balls at Headingley, while Ali Usman took 5/95. The England middle-order batter will try to attack spinners.
ENG vs PAK Key Players to Watch
England: Joe Root, Ollie Robinson, Harry Brook
Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Abbas, Ali Usman
Also read: Brydon Carse comeback date revealed after nightclub row
