Pakistan enjoyed a much-improved outing on the opening day of the second Test against England at Lord’s after opting to bowl first. Following their heavy defeat in the first Test at Headingley, the visitors responded strongly with the ball and made early inroads into England’s batting lineup.
Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali were particularly effective as England slipped to 36/3 and later 77/4. However, the hosts managed to recover through Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith, who added valuable runs before Pakistan’s bowlers returned to make further inroads during the final session.
Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali put England under pressure
Pakistan’s decision to bowl first paid off early as Abbas extracted plenty of movement from the conditions. The experienced seamer dismissed Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett and Joe Root to leave England in deep trouble. Ali then produced an excellent delivery to remove Harry Brook, who had been one of England’s biggest performers in the first Test.
The ball jagged back sharply to beat Brook’s defence and crash into the stumps. Pakistan continued to bowl with discipline and created regular pressure throughout the innings. Abbas eventually added Jofra Archer to his tally late in the day, while Ali finished with three wickets as England struggled to build sustained partnerships.
Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox rescue England
England desperately needed a partnership after their early collapse, and Cox and Smith provided it. Cox showed composure in his third Test appearance, while Smith looked increasingly confident after coming into the match under pressure for runs. The pair added a crucial partnership to pull England away from danger, with Cox completing his second consecutive Test half-century. Smith also reached fifty before Pakistan finally broke through again.
Cox was dismissed for 55 after Salman Agha produced a brilliant catch at second slip, while Ali later removed Smith for 61 and Ollie Robinson in quick succession. Archer added a few late runs before Abbas dismissed him, leaving England nine wickets down. Bad light eventually brought an early end to the day’s play with England on 248/9. Pakistan will be pleased with their response after the first Test defeat, while England will hope their final wicket can add some valuable runs when play resumes on Day 2.
Day 1, Stumps
England: 248/9, Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox have helped England to get close to 250 🌟#ENGvPAK #TestCricket pic.twitter.com/S2FXyUUUgP
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) August 28, 2026
