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England have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Test series against Pakistan after beating them by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord's. The result also earned England 12 crucial points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.
Pakistan, meanwhile, suffered another heavy defeat after losing the opening Test by an innings and 103 runs. Their batting once again struggled against England's pace attack, while Saud Shakeel's 97 in the fourth innings was not enough to prevent another defeat. With England winning both Tests, the WTC points table has also undergone another significant change.
England lower-order frustrated Pakistan
Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first, and their pace attack initially put England under pressure. Mohammad Abbas claimed three of England's first four wickets as the hosts slipped to 36/3, with Joe Root dismissed for just four.
Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith then steadied England's innings with a 67-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Cox scored 55 off 105 balls, while Smith made 61 off 80 deliveries. Their efforts helped England recover before Pakistan's bowlers struck again.
However, England's lower order frustrated Pakistan. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue added 47 runs for the final wicket, with Atkinson scoring 45 off 46 balls and Tongue remaining unbeaten on 30 off 48 deliveries. England were eventually bowled out for 290, with Mohammad Abbas finishing with four wickets and Mohammad Ali claiming three.
Ollie Robinson dismantles Pakistan batting
England's pace attack then produced a dominant performance as Pakistan were bowled out for just 110 in 37.2 overs.
Shan Masood managed only one run, while Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam scored five and eight respectively. Babar, returning to the side after missing the first Test due to a finger injury, was dismissed by Josh Tongue.
Azan Awais provided some resistance with a 102-ball 46, while Saud Shakeel scored 16. However, no other Pakistan batter crossed 10.
Ollie Robinson was the pick of the England bowlers, finishing with outstanding figures of 4/11 from 13 overs. Jofra Archer added three wickets, while Josh Tongue picked up two as Pakistan conceded a first-innings lead of 180 runs.
Pakistan batting fails again
England extended their advantage in the second innings despite Mohammad Abbas producing another impressive spell. The veteran pacer claimed five wickets as the hosts were dismissed for 208, setting Pakistan a daunting target of 389.
Dan Lawrence top-scored for England with a crucial 54 off 70 balls, while Harry Brook contributed 34 and Emilio Gay made 31. Abbas finished with 5/57 and nine wickets in the match.
Pakistan's chase began disastrously as Ollie Robinson removed Azan Awais and Abdullah Shafique early before Jofra Archer dismissed Babar Azam for six. Pakistan were reduced to 14/3.
Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel then staged a fightback. The pair added 97 runs for the fourth wicket, with Shakeel eventually falling for a valiant 97 off 122 balls, just three runs short of a century.
Masood scored 26, while Ali Usman made 16, but Pakistan's lower order could not complete the fightback. They were bowled out for 194 in 50.5 overs, handing England a 194-run victory.
Robinson finished with another four-wicket haul, while Archer took two and Tongue claimed three wickets. England therefore completed a 2-0 series victory and moved closer to improving their position in the WTC standings.
WTC Points Table After England vs Pakistan 2nd Test
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Ded | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 80.00 |
| 2 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 75.00 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 72.22 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 55.56 |
| 5 | India | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 51.52 |
| 6 | England | 15 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 62 | 34.44 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 33.33 |
| 8 | West Indies | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 20.83 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 16.67 |
England's victory earned them 12 WTC points, taking their tally to 62 points from 15 matches. Their Points Percentage (PCT) has improved to 34.44%.
Pakistan remain on 16 points after eight matches, with their PCT dropping to 16.67% following their sixth defeat of the WTC cycle.
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