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England vs Pakistan second Test match at Lord’s has concluded as the home side won the match and clinched the series after beating the Men in Green by 190 runs. After England’s win over Pakistan, we take a look at India’s chances to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 final.
Pakistan lost the first Test match by an innings and 103 runs, and after that they came back in the second game with their regular captain Babar Azam coming back into the side, as he missed out on the first game due to a finger injury. The Men in Green remain winless in their last five Test matches in England.
England lower-order troubled Pakistan
Pakistan have now lost three matches and drawn 2 in the last five games in England. In the second Test won the toss and opted to bowl first, as the pacers in the form of Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali were the pick of the bowlers as the pace department picked 8 wickets combined.
England, who lost their top order early, gained momentum through the middle order in the form of Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith. As the former scored 55 runs off 105 deliveries, and Smith scored a bit relatively faster, scoring 61 off 80 balls. Then a solid lower-order performance from Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue as they stitched a 47-run partnership as they were bowled out for 290.
As Pakistan came out to bat, the England bowlers exploited their weakness, and they had no answers to it. Losing wickets at regular intervals, their young opener Azan Awais scored 45 runs and was the leading scorer in the first innings, with the second-highest run being by Saud Shakeel, who scored 16 runs, as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 runs.
Pakistan fails to draw the series
England had a hefty lead of 180 runs, as they had decent starts from the batters, but they failed to convert them into big scores, with Dan Lawrence scoring the only fifty for the side in the second innings; he played a knock of 54 runs. Mohammad Abbas picked up 5 wickets as they were bowled out for 208.
Pakistan were given a huge target of 389 runs in the match. They lost three wickets early in the run-chase, putting them on the back foot; however, Saud Shakeel and Shan Masood stitched a partnership of 97 runs. But after that, Masood was dismissed for 26 runs.
Shakeel continued his second-innings dominance; he was looking in fine touch nearing his hundred at Lord’s, but he fell short of three runs as he was dismissed on 97 runs, as he was the last hope for the Men in Green to save the match. They were bowled out for 194 runs.
India's WTC final qualification chance after ENG vs PAK Lord's Test
After the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test match at Lord’s, there has not been much impact on India's chances to qualify for the WTC final. As the Three Lions, after the win, climbed up to 6th position and Pakistan remained at the bottom. Pakistan are already eliminated from the WTC top 2 spots, and England were already eliminated.
India recently played a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in the WTC. In the first Test, they won by 165 runs, and the second match was a draw, as the Men in Blue cost eight valuable WTC points after the second Test, as it could have moved them above Bangladesh into fourth position. Now they are 5th in the points table with 51.58% PCT.
India have seven Tests coming up, with two against New Zealand away from home and five against Australia at home. In the seven Test matches in this WTC cycle, India need to win five and draw to lift their points PCT above 60%. Six wins would leave India with a PCT of 65%, as their chances to qualify for the WTC will increase.
