England Take Commanding Lead in Third Test Against Pakistan

England moved closer to a three match series whitewash after taking a first innings lead of 320 runs on the second day of the third Test at Edgbaston. England was dismissed for 453 all out on Thursday, following a first day where Pakistan was bowled out for 133. This marked the fifth consecutive innings in the series where Pakistan failed to reach 200 runs, with none of their top five batters reaching double figures. Saud Shakeel top scored for Pakistan with 43 runs.

England's second innings featured contributions from Harry Brook, who was run out for 75, and Dan Lawrence, who scored 65. Jamie Smith added 69 before being caught and bowled by debutant Razaullah. Ollie Robinson scored 50 and Jofra Archer added a quickfire 32. Razaullah was the standout bowler for Pakistan, finishing with figures of 4 for 148.

Pakistan entered the match amid significant turmoil, having released seven players and sacked head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul following a 194 run defeat in the second Test. Saud Shakeel attributed the batting failures to difficult conditions and lateral movement on the pitch, noting that these conditions were more challenging than those faced by New Zealand earlier in the year. He also acknowledged that the batting unit had made repeated mistakes.

Reports from center left outlets frame the event as a display of English dominance over a hapless and turbulent Pakistani side. These reports highlight the stark contrast between England's aggressive scoring and Pakistan's repeated collapses.