The third England vs Pakistan Test match in 2026 saw the hosts winning convincingly after defeating the visitors by eight wickets. This result led to a clean sweep of the series at 3-0 making the summer of Test matches remarkable for England.
Pakistan showed some resolve but lacked consistency needed to test the home side.
In the first innings, the bowlers were exceptional for England capitalizing on Pakistan’s early collapse. Their first innings total of 453 added lots of pressure to Pakistan.
In the second innings, Pakistan did put up a fight with their score of 449; however England were left to chase a modest total of only 130.
Things became a bit tricky for England after Mohammad Abbas took out both openers in the first over, but Joe Root and Jordan Cox were able to complete the chase.
England vs Pakistan 3rd Test 2026: Match Summary
In Edgbaston, England received the toss and decided to bowl first. The decision paid off, with Pakistan, crumbling towards England’s effective pace assault. Pakistan’s batting line-up crumbled, and they have been bowled out for just 133 runs in 33.5 overs. Saud Shakeel pinnacle-scored with forty three runs, while Mohammad Abbas delivered 21 runs. Josh Tongue become England’s high-quality bowler, taking four wickets for simplest 42 runs. Ollie Robinson chipped in with three wickets for 15 runs.
England made amends for their batting performance with a extremely a success innings. Harry Brook scored 75 runs, Jamie Smith made 69 runs and Emilion Gay rounded the innings off with a useful 60 runs. England went on to score 453 runs, which gave them a massive lead of 320 runs.
However, Pakistan showed a lot of fighting spirit. Shan Masood scored 95 runs, while Azan Awais added 59 runs. The biggest surprise of the day was Debutant Razaullah, whose entertaining innings lit up the match. Razaullah hammered 81 runs with his bat from only 63 balls which included 9 sixes and 4 fours.
Pakistan 1st Innings: England’s Fast Bowlers Dominate
The first innings of Pakistan was the primary cause of the pressure they were under throughout the match. The visitors were constantly losing wickets and found themselves at 26 for four. Babar Azam could only get seven runs and both Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique could not give the stability Pakistan needed.
There was some resistance from Saud Shakeel who scored a quickfire 43 off 47 balls. Unfortunately, the lack of support meant it was not enough.
Josh Tongue was in a league of his own, as his four wickets for 42 runs ensured Pakistan formed no noteworthy partnerships. Jofra Archer was also effective, with Ollie Robinson also putting Pakistan under pressure with three wickets.
This was one of the major achievements for England in this match, since their bowlers were able to use their conditions very well and put Pakistan under immense pressure right from the start.
England 1st Innings: Brook, Gay and Smith Build a Huge Lead
England’s performance was greatly improved.
Following some early wickets, Harry Brook and Emilio Gay managed to help the hosts recover. Brook’s innings of 75 runs was vital, as it came at a time when England needed to consolidate and create a big lead.
Gay also made 60 runs and Jamie Smith contributed with 69 runs in the innings. England’s total of 453 meant that Pakistan was already 320 runs behind before starting the second innings.
The batting performance was far from perfect yet effective. England did not require everyone to gain a lot of runs since their bowlers had created a large lead already.
Pakistan’s Second Innings: Razaullah Provides the Big Fight
Pakistan’s performance in their second innings was entirely different.
After facing difficulties once again, Shan Masood and Azan Awais lifted up the innings. Azan registered a score of 59 while Masood fell just short of scoring a hundred with 95 off 148 balls.
Then came the innings that shifted the atmosphere in Edgbaston.
Test match debutant Razaullah made a fantastic counter-attacking inning of 81 off 63 balls. He hit nine sixes and four fours, making his first Test fifty off just 43 balls. His attitude gave Pakistan a much-needed lift, achieving 449 runs.
Razaullah also took four wickets in England’s first innings making his debut even more memorable. Indeed, despite Pakistan’s loss, his performance was arguably the biggest positive outcome for the visitors.
England’s Final Chase: Root and Cox Stay Calm
Despite needing 130 runs to clinch the victory, the process of reaching that total was less than smooth for England.
Mohammad Abbas put in an excellent spell of bowling in order to dismiss Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay in the very first over itself. Without scoring any runs, England was suddenly two wickets down.
This situation could have put England under pressure, but once again Joe Root proved that his experience makes him an important figure for England.
Root batted patiently without becoming overly aggressive. Meanwhile, Jordan Cox complemented his efforts well at the other end. Together, they took the game away from Pakistan.
Joe Root had 62 runs against his name from 69 balls unbeaten whereas Jordan Cox played a knock of 59 runs from 76 balls unbeaten. Their partnership helped England reach 130 for the loss of two wickets in merely 24.2 overs, which gave them the victorious eight-wicket win margin.
Joe Root’s Performance Was Crucial
When it comes to the determining factor in this latest match, Joe Root stands as the key figure. His innings of 62 not out could not have come at a more crucial stage. Just moments before, England had lost two wickets in quick succession. Had they lost another one, the situation could have turned extremely difficult for them.
Instead, Root proved able to withstand the pressure. His innings was not based on big shots; it focused on the importance of ensuring that Pakistan received no further chances. When Root got settled in, winning the game became a matter of time.
Jordan Cox Deserves Major Credit
Although Root got most of the limelight, it would be right to say that Jordan Cox got much to be praised for the ending chase.
Cox stayed not out on 59 and together with Root made an ideal partnership. He did not let the poor start of the innings affect his decisions.
His innings proved to be more than just useful – England could not afford losing another wicket in the conditions, so it had to find somebody to stay with Root.
The partnership of Root and Cox put an end to Pakistan’s chances to stage an amazing comeback.
Best Bowling Performance: Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson
Bowling proved to be key for England’s success.
Josh Tongue was a standout performer who took four wickets for 42 runs in the first innings. He bowled brilliantly and helped to restrict Pakistan to 133 runs.
Ollie Robinson, too, performed excellently in the same innings taking three wickets for 15 runs. With his control of the ball, he made things tough for Pakistan at the top of the order.
Overall, Robinson was very influential throughout the series finishing with a large number of wickets taken and making him one of England’s best bowlers overall.
Dan Lawrence’s All-Round Contribution
Dan Lawrence took home the Player of the Match award after lending his skills with both bat and ball. He managed to hit 65 in England’s first innings and later added to his performance by picking up two wickets for just 17 runs. His overall performance may not be as remarkable as Razaullah’s score of 81 or Root’s unbeaten score of 62, but it was important in terms of the match. It showed the depth of players that England has. Where one person fails another comes to the front which made all the difference.
Razaullah: Pakistan’s Biggest Positive
Razaullah has indeed proved to be the biggest positive for the Pakistan team. Making his debut in Tests in such tough conditions , he first took 4 wickets in England’s innings and followed that with the score of 81 off just 63 balls.
Nine sixes in that innings made it all the more special. Most significantly however was that Razaullah has given the indication that Pakistan might have unearthed yet another promising player who can be useful in more than one aspect of the game.
Despite the defeat, Razaullah’s performance gives Pakistan something to build upon.
Why Did Pakistan Lose the Match?
It is unfair to single out just one player for Pakistan’s loss.
The team’s most significant setback was when it suffered a batting collapse in its initial innings, which resulted in a mere 133 runs.
The entire batting lineup failed to form partnerships with each other. The team’s captain, Babi Azam, made only seven runs and Saim Ayub failed to score any runs. When a team loses five wickets out of just 48 runs scored, it becomes almost impossible to recover thanks to the stringent bowling standards of the opposing team.
Pakistan also had difficulty translating opportunities into pressure.
Even Razaullah’s memorable performance in the second innings left England with only a target of 130 runs.
There was also a significant issue with Pakistan being docked 11 points for being 11 overs short of the required over rate and 50% of the match fees being deducted from the players’ earnings.
Full Scorecard: England vs Pakistan 3rd Test 2026
Pakistan 1st Innings – 133 All Out
| Batter | Runs |
| Saim Ayub | 0 |
| Azan Awais | 9 |
| Abdullah Shafique | 3 |
| Shan Masood | 5 |
| Babar Azam | 7 |
| Saud Shakeel | 43 |
| Muhammad Ghazi Ghori | 4 |
| Muhammad Imran | 5 |
| Razaullah | 11 |
| Mohammad Abbas | 21 |
| Mohammad Ali | 5* |
| Total | 133 all out |
England bowling: Josh Tongue 4/42, Ollie Robinson 3/15, Jofra Archer 3 wickets.
England 1st Innings – 453 All Out
Harry Brook scored 75, Jamie Smith made 69 and Emilio Gay contributed 60 as England built a 320-run first-innings lead.
Razaullah was Pakistan’s standout bowler with 4/148 on debut. Muhammad Imran took 2/47 and Mohammad Ali also claimed two wickets.
Pakistan 2nd Innings – 449 All Out
| Batter | Runs |
| Azan Awais | 59 |
| Shan Masood | 95 |
| Razaullah | 81 |
| Others | Contributed to 449 |
| Total | 449 all out |
Razaullah’s 81 from 63 balls was the highlight, while Shan Masood’s 95 provided the foundation for the recovery.
England 2nd Innings – 130/2
| Batter | Runs |
| Ben Duckett | 0 |
| Emilio Gay | 0 |
| Joe Root | 62* |
| Jordan Cox | 59* |
| Total | 130/2 |
England reached the target in 24.2 overs and won by eight wickets.
Key Positives for England
The third Test between England and Pakistan in 2026 displayed various positive aspects for the home team.
One aspect of note is the tempo attack that has performed brilliantly. Tongue, Robinson, and Archer frequently troubled Pakistan innings.
Another encouraging sign we could notice is England’s solid middle order that proved its capability of recovering from tough situations.
Another positive legacy of Joe Root’s return to captaincy was the first success.
Lastly, players like Dan Lawrence and Jordan Cox showed that England has more options apart from the well-known players.
The important fact to highlight is England’s ability to win matches even when things go wrong.
What Pakistan Can Take Forward
A 3-0 loss for Pakistan will obviously bring some criticism; however, there were still some positives from the series.
The highlight was Razaullah’s debut. Shan Masood demonstrated great spirit as he managed to score a personal total of 95 and Azan Awais made his contribution in the match as well.
The main difficulty now will be making sure the top order is as stable as possible. Pakistan’s seasoned players need to spend more time at the pitch when the weather conditions are in favour of fast bowlers.
The positive side is that the team will be able to work on improving its discipline as well as game management after the points’ deduction from the WTC for slow over-rate.
Final Verdict
The contest between the England and Pakistan cricket teams in the 2026 3rd Test match was ultimately settled by the prowess of the home team in bowling, their ability to put on a huge score at their first innings, and remaining cool during their chase in the end.
The visitors fought valiantly in their second innings, particularly through Shan Masood and new boy Razaullah. However, they could not recover from the damage that resulted from their dismal performance on the first day.
For the home side Joe Root’s 62 not out and Jordan Cox’s 59 not out spelt a fine end to the match. The game, which was won by eight wickets, ensured a series win of 3-0 for England.
Pakistan lost out in this match but also had ample reasons to draw solace from the remarkable debut of Razaullah.
In this match between the England and Pakistan teams, one side had been superior to the other throughout and victory for England at Edgbaston was well earned.
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