England beat Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord's to seal 2-0 series lead
England beat Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord's in the second Test on Sunday, August 30, to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Pakistan's humiliation at Lord's was completed as Babar Azam's second reign as Test captain began with a series loss.
Ollie Robinson dominated with the ball across both innings, finishing with match figures of 8 for 35 from 27 overs after taking 4 for 24 in Pakistan's second innings; Pakistan were bowled out for 194 while chasing 389 and were without the injured Imam-ul-Haq. The win was wrapped up with a day to spare and was England's first Test series victory since their success in New Zealand towards the end of 2024. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue also played influential roles with pace and aggression.
Pakistan's chase collapsed early as Robinson removed Azan Awais and Abdullah Shafique inside the opening overs, before Archer accounted for captain Babar Azam as the visitors slipped to 14 for 3. Archer's short ball forced Babar into an awkward evasive attempt, the ball taking the shoulder of his bat before deflecting off his helmet and looping towards the slips.
Saud Shakeel and Shan Masood put together a 97-run stand for the fourth wicket, bridging a 40-minute rain delay and offering Pakistan a path back into the contest. Shakeel reached his half-century in 54 balls and struck 13 fours and two sixes; he absorbed a blow to the grille from a Tongue bouncer and went into the tea break unbeaten on 78.
Robinson returned after the interval to shift the momentum again, trapping Masood in front after the batsman had moved across his stumps with England overturning the original decision on review. Robinson soon added Mohammad Rizwan for an lbw, his fourth wicket of the innings and eighth of the match, as Pakistan's recovery faltered.
Archer removed Ali Usman when an inward delivery found the inside edge and disturbed the stumps, while Shakeel attacked Tongue—clearing the ropes twice and finding a boundary through the leg side—before falling for 97 to a deep square-leg catch off Tongue. Tongue then removed Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali to finish off Pakistan's lower order and complete the victory.
Earlier in the match Mohammad Abbas claimed a five-wicket haul in England's second innings, finishing with 5 for 57 and nine wickets in the match after dismissing Dan Lawrence—who had resumed unbeaten on 50 and added four—when a delivery jagged back to hit the stumps, and then completing his five-for when Robinson edged to wicketkeeper Rizwan. Pakistan had earlier reduced England to 36 for 3 and 77 for 4 but conceded a last-wicket partnership between Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson that took the total to 290, leaving insufficient runs for a successful chase.
With the series already secured, England will head into the final Test with the opportunity to complete a 3-0 sweep.
