ENG vs PAK 2nd Test: England beat Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord’s to take unassailable 2-0 series lead

England’s Ollie Robinson, right, celebrates the dismissal of Pakistan’s Shan Masood with his teammates. (AP photo) England completed an emphatic 194-run victory over Pakistan at Lord’s on Sunday to wrap up the second Test in four days and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The result also ended England’s wait for a Test series win, with their previous series win coming in December 2024.Set to a dismal 389 for victory, Pakistan were bowled out for 194 around 45 minutes after tea and continued a miserable batting campaign in which they failed to reach 200 even once in the series. England needed just 18 wickets to win the Test after Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq was ruled out for the rest of the match after tearing his left calf on the opening day.The third and final Test will be played in Birmingham from September 9, but the result of the series is already beyond Pakistan’s reach.

Robinson, Archer and Tongue break Pakistan

Ollie Robinson was England’s standout performer and produced another fine spell of seam bowling to finish with eight wickets in the match. He took 4/24 on Sunday to finish with remarkable figures of 8/35, repeatedly troubling Pakistan’s batsmen with his control and movement.Jofra Archer (2/73) also played a key role, combining his raw pace with Robinson’s skill to contribute significantly to Pakistan’s collapse. Josh Tongue completed the demolition job with three wickets as England cleaned up the tail.Pakistan started the fourth day at 14/3 and needed something extraordinary to stay alive in the chase. Saud Shakeel provided that for a while, producing the most substantial innings for the Pakistani batter in the series.Shakeel and Shan Masood put together a stubborn partnership of 97 that frustrated England for nearly four hours. Shakeel eventually fell for 97, caught on the boundary in an attempt to reach his century, ending the highest individual score for either side in the series.

Shakeel’s resistance is not enough

Shakeel led the charge for England after lunch, reaching his half-century off 54 balls before going on to counter-attack against the fast attack. He seemed to be getting more comfortable against the short ball and started taking chances with tailenders for company.Masood, who scored 26, focused on manning the crease during their partnership, while Shakeel provided most of the attacking punch. Their resistance finally ended when Robinson returned with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith facing the stumps.

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Share an opinionMasood was initially not given out after missing the inswinger, but England reviewed the decision and secured the lbw verdict. Robinson then removed Mohammad Rizwan for one to claim his 99th Test wicket before Josh Tongue and the rest of the attack completed the innings.Shakeel’s dismissal for 97 summed up Pakistan’s problems with the bat: he showed the application and skill needed to withstand England, but there was virtually no support around him.With Imam unable to bat again, Pakistan’s hopes were all but gone. England’s bowlers needed little time to wrap up the tail, prompting celebrations and handshakes at Lord’s.The win gives England an unassailable lead in the series with one Test remaining, while Pakistan must now regroup ahead of the final in Birmingham on September 9. It was an emphatic victory for England and their first Test series triumph since December 2024.