Dan Lawrence's innings of 65 ended in frustration when he chased a wide delivery and was bowled, but the England batter's overall mood reflected genuine satisfaction with his recent performances. Playing in the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston on 9–13 September 2026, Lawrence has now posted three half-centuries across four Test innings this summer and is finally translating his obvious potential into consistent runs at international level.
Moments after his dismissal, Lawrence reflected on the missed opportunity while acknowledging his broader progress.
I'm obviously gutted I didn't kick on. I felt like I was playing really nicely and it was a really good surface to bat on against a tiring attack at that stage. I thought I was going to make a really big score, but it wasn't meant to be. But I'm really happy with how I've played this summer.
Lawrence's return to the Test team came after a two-year absence following his initial struggles at international level.
I always knew deep down that my ability was good enough to play at this level, even though I hadn't necessarily shown it in my first stint playing. That was obviously a tough time, when I got dropped from the team, and all I was concentrating on was trying to score big runs in county cricket and get myself in, because I feel like I've got a lot to offer English cricket.
According to match reports, Lawrence's 65 came from 82 balls before he was dismissed by Mohammad Imran Randhawa. The innings represented his seventh Test fifty in the series, though he has yet to convert any of these half-centuries into a Test hundred. England's position at lunch on day two showed them at 299 for 6 and leading by 166 runs, with Pakistan still 268 away from forcing England to bat again and eight wickets remaining in their second innings.
What does Pakistan's coaching staff see in this squad?
Despite their poor showing on this tour, Pakistan's newly appointed batting coach Michael Smith remains convinced of the squad's underlying quality.
There's a lot of class in this dressing room. There's a lot of serious players here. It would be nice for them to show the rest of the UK, and the people back in Pakistan, what they've still got. Because we've got no doubt that it's there.
Smith, who took up the role in August 2026 to address repeated batting collapses, was appointed ahead of Pakistan's three-Test England tour. According to reports from his appointment, the coaching staff had identified batting as a critical area requiring immediate attention.
Why is Pakistan deferring judgment until the next tour?
Pakistan's batting has been consistently poor throughout the series, with the team yet to score as many as 200 runs in any single innings. However, Smith views this tour as a learning opportunity rather than a final assessment of the squad's capabilities.
A lot of our players, it's their first tour of England. I suppose we might not see the sort of success we want to see now, but hopefully if a lot of these players are back on our next UK tour, we'll really see an upward trend. I think that's the time to really judge them.
Let's not worry about what's happening here. We've got some really exciting players and potential is exceptionally high. It's just how quickly we can get them to that level, especially playing outside of Pakistan. That's going to be a big challenge and it's something we're really excited about.
Smith's assessment reflects a broader strategic view that many of Pakistan's squad members are gaining their first experience of English conditions. According to tour squad information, this three-Test series marked Smith's first assignment as Pakistan's batting coach, with the tour beginning on 19 August 2026.
What happens next?
The third Test at Edgbaston continues through 13 September 2026, with play resuming on 10 September after the lunch interval. England, having already secured a 2-0 series lead in the earlier Tests, will be targeting a clean sweep, while Pakistan will seek to salvage some pride in the final match of the tour.
Key Facts
- Lawrence has scored three half-centuries in four Test innings this summer but has not yet converted any fifty into a Test hundred
- Pakistan's batting has failed to reach 200 runs in any innings during the series
- Michael Smith was appointed Pakistan batting coach in August 2026 specifically to address batting collapses ahead of the England tour
- Many of Pakistan's squad members are playing in England for the first time, with Smith viewing this tour as a development opportunity
- The third Test at Edgbaston runs from 9–13 September 2026
