England completed their first Test series clean sweep in two years with an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston, securing a 3-0 triumph despite a dramatic opening to their fourth-innings chase. Joe Root remained unbeaten on 62 and Jordan Cox on 59 as the hosts successfully pursued a target of 130 runs, reaching their goal by 1.07pm on what became a subdued final day.
The victory came after Pakistan mounted an unexpectedly fierce resistance through a remarkable debut performance. According to ESPN's match report, debutant Razaullah struck 81 runs from 63 balls, including nine sixes that equalled the men's Test record for the most sixes by a first-Test player, lifting Pakistan to a 129-run lead. The 21-year-old was one of three Pakistan debutants at Edgbaston, part of a reshaped squad following the second Test defeat at Lord's.
England's run chase began in alarming circumstances when Mohammad Abbas produced a devastating opening spell. Ben Duckett fell to the first delivery, nicked behind, while Emilio Gay was pinned lbw for a duck in the same over, leaving the hosts at two for two. The early collapse threatened to unravel England's series dominance, and Pakistan's supporters inside the ground suddenly sensed an opportunity for an unlikely turnaround.
Root walked to the crease with the scorecard in disarray and immediately set about stabilising the innings alongside Cox, whose assured start to Test cricket continued. On a pitch offering little assistance to bowlers, the pair adopted a composed approach, with Root batting on leg stump to minimise the threat of further lbw dismissals. The scorecard began to accumulate steadily as the pressure gradually eased.
Pakistan's attack was hampered by the absence of a frontline spinner and by Razaullah's early hand injury, which prevented him from capitalising on the momentum of his batting heroics. Abbas, operating with the wicketkeeper standing up, remained their primary threat, but two further opportunities went begging.
How did Root escape dismissal?
Root's fortune proved decisive when he was on 20. An expansive cover drive cannoned into his leg stump, and Mohammad Ali wheeled away in celebration before the umpire's arm stretched out to signal a front-foot no-ball—Ali's 17th such infringement in the series but the first to cost him a wicket. Root responded with characteristic aggression, drilling Ali through the covers for four to compound the frustration.
Abbas endured further disappointment when an edge off Root's bat on 34 flew between first and second slip without either fielder attempting a catch, leaving the Pakistan bowler visibly fuming at the missed opportunity. The momentum had shifted decisively in England's favour by this stage.
What was the context of this series?
England had already secured the series 2-0 before the third Test began at Edgbaston. The hosts won the opening Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, with Root's return as permanent captain proving immediately successful. Pakistan mounted a spirited response at Lord's, but England extended their advantage to 2-0, with Pakistan's second innings at Edgbaston reaching 449, featuring 95 from Shan Masood and 76 from Babar Azam. England's first-innings reply included contributions from Emilio Gay, who made 60, and Harry Brook, who remained unbeaten on 52.
The third Test represented a dead-rubber fixture, yet Pakistan's squad upheaval—seven players had been sent home following the Lord's defeat—injected fresh energy into their challenge. Razaullah's explosive debut, which also included 2-42 from nine overs on day one, demonstrated the potential within the restructured side, even as the series outcome remained settled.
What happens next?
The Pakistan tour of England concluded with the third Test at Edgbaston. England's next assignment is a white-ball series against Sri Lanka, beginning on Tuesday in Southampton.
Key Facts
- England won the third Test by eight wickets to complete a 3-0 series clean sweep, their first in two years
- Joe Root finished unbeaten on 62 and Jordan Cox on 59 in the successful fourth-innings chase of 130
- Mohammad Abbas took two wickets in the opening over but was denied a third when Mohammad Ali bowled a no-ball with Root on 20
- Razaullah's 81-run debut innings from 63 balls, featuring nine sixes, lifted Pakistan to a 129-run lead and gave the visitors genuine hope
- Pakistan's squad had been reshaped with three debutants at Edgbaston following the second Test defeat at Lord's
