England vs Pakistan 3rd Test Full Commentary

Welcome back, folks. The English openers - Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett - spring out to the crease. Meanwhile, Pakistan finish their huddle and take their respective fielding positions. Mohammad Abbas has the new ball and is raring to go. He is coming from around the stumps with three slip and a gully waiting. Duckett is on strike. Off we go again...

... SECOND INNINGS ...

Rolled over - Saud Shakeel stood alone as the lone warrior with a brisk 43, but none of the top seven besides him could settle in. The second-highest number of deliveries faced belonged to Abbas, who came in at No. 10, and if your tailenders are outlasting most of the specialist batters, it tells the tale entirely. Abbas and Ali, meanwhile, formed a 26-run stand and showed just how blameless the pitch is for batting. Well then, England have a massive opportunity to push the lead beyond Pakistan's reach simply by batting on and on for, say, a couple of days, without even needing to come in again. Pakistan, on the other hand, will simply have to be at their best with the ball and keep picking regular wickets to stand any remote chance of preventing a whitewash. Back in a bit with England's batting innings. Stay tuned.

Worrying pattern - A change of personnel has brought no change in fortunes for Pakistan. They made as many as four changes, bringing in three debutants, yet it is the same old story, as their batting order has collapsed badly once again.  They have now gone five innings on the bounce without breaching the 200-mark, and this is the third time in that stretch they have been skittled for 150 or under.

1.40 pm GMT - Swiftly done - It took England just under 34 overs and under two sessions to expose Pakistan's vulnerabilities with the bat once again. A comprehensive bowling display by the hosts, with the troika of Archer, Robinson and Tongue sharing the bulk of load. Atkinson, for his part, walked away wicketless, though there was nothing wrong with how he bowled. Truth be told, he barely got the chance to loosen up before it was all over.

The physio sprints out straight away to attend to Mohammad Ali, who is wincing in pain after that unpleasant blow to his right toe. Down on the ground, he peels off his boot to get a look at the damage. A bit of treatment later, he is back up on his feet, takes a couple of sips of water to compose himself, and looks set to carry on as he straps his pads back on. Looks like a lot of short stuff will be thrown at Abbas now, with short leg and four slips in place.

Welcome back for Pakistan's second dig. It is pretty overcast over Edgbaston, and the radar does suggest we could see some rain in about an hour. Jamie Smith will not take the field after sustaining an injury to his left ring finger while keeping yesterday, according to an ECB statement. Jordan Cox will take over the gloves for England in this innings. Out walk Saim Ayub and Azan Awais to open the innings. Ollie Robinson will start with the new ball. Saim is on strike. Let's play...

... THIRD INNINGS ...

Looking ahead - The second session saw the clouds roll in, and that meant there was still enough help for the pacers to work with, even with the old cherry. Pakistan are yet to reach 200 in an innings this series, and a stiff challenge awaits them. The English quicks will relish the prospect of bowling in helpful conditions and will be looking to make early inroads into the Pakistan batting unit. The action will resume at 3 pm GMT. See you then. Cheers!

No hundred, but plenty of runs - No hundred for England coming into this Test, and none in this innings either. They were reduced to 39/3 early on, but still managed to fight their way to 453 and finish with a lead of 320. Emilio Gay, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence and Jamie Smith will all feel that a hundred was there for the taking, but none could quite get there. Brook, in particular, might be kicking himself. He was run out trying to steal a quick single, and that felt like a needless way to go, especially with the batting conditions as good as they were. Lower down the order, Ollie Robinson had a bit of fun, as did Jofra Archer, to swell the lead further and frustrate the tourists.

2.41 pm GMT - TEA, DAY 2 - The last England wicket falls right on the stroke of the Tea break, giving the two Pakistan openers a little extra time before they head out for what promises to be a challenging phase. Another one of those innings where Pakistan struggled to wipe out the tail, with the last two wickets adding 81 runs.

We have 10 minutes left for the Tea break, but with the last pair in for England, the session could be extended.

We are all set to begin England's chase! Pakistan have picked out their preferred new ball, and their players are already out in the middle. Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay are the two openers for England. Mohammad Abbas is raring to go with the red cherry. Let's play...

A bit for the weather watchers - Overcast skies hang over Birmingham right now, with the sun only occasionally breaking through. A few short spells of rain are expected to sweep through during playing hours, nothing that should force an extended stoppage. These are the kind of conditions Pakistan's seamers would love to make something of, though with so little left to defend, England's batting looks more than capable of hunting the target down regardless. Then again, best not to get ahead of ourselves. Plenty had already written off day three as the last one this Test needed. Control the controllables, as they say. What happens with the weather isn't up to anyone in the middle, so all there is to do now is hope it holds off long enough to let this finish the way a Test should.

England eye the finish line - The equation remains straightforward for England, but they will know that Pakistan have given themselves a genuine chance by stretching the game into another day. A quick start with the ball could put the hosts under pressure, while England will back their batting to knock off the remaining runs and seal a first-ever home series whitewash over Pakistan. The contest has gone deeper than England might have expected, and with plenty still left to play for, another intriguing day awaits at Edgbaston.

A fightback that kept the contest alive - Pakistan's second innings was a far cry from their struggles earlier in the series. Shan Masood's 95, Azan Awais' 59 and Babar Azam's 76 laid the foundation before debutant Razaullah stole the show with a stunning 81. His explosive ninth-wicket partnership of 121 with Mohammad Abbas took Pakistan to 449 and gave their bowlers a total to defend.

A final push for the whitewash - Welcome back to Edgbaston for what promises to be a fascinating Day 4 of the third and final Test between England and Pakistan. What looked set to be a routine finish turned on its head late on Day 3, as Pakistan produced a remarkable fightback to ensure the contest lives on. England need 130 runs to complete a 3-0 series whitewash, while Pakistan have one final opportunity to produce something special and salvage a memorable result from a difficult tour.

... Day 4, Morning Session ...

Building up a crescendo - For the first time in this series, England have been made to work in the field and it took them a bit over a whole day to bowl Pakistan out. However, with two days still remaining, the hosts are favorites to clean sweep the series. The target for them is 130, but with some rain forecasted on Day 4, you never know what could happen. We also saw a bit of turn later on from Dan Lawrence and Pakistan will be looking to use someone like Saim Ayub productively. Day 4, which could be the final day of the series, is scheduled to begin at 10 am GMT on Saturday, September 12, but you can tune in a lot sooner for the build-up as well. Cheers!

The final frontier - Pakistan went from 306/5 to 318/8, needing just 2 more runs to get England to bat again. However, debutant Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas got together and had some fun out in the middle. Razaullah, in particular, took a liking to the English bowlers and smashed them all around the park, going on to equal the record for the most number of sixes on Test debut, at 9, which was formerly held by England's bowling coach Tim Southee. The duo of Abbas and Razaullah added 121 runs for the wicket when Abbas got out on 40 very late in the day. Razaullah failed to survive what seemed to be the final over of the day and got out on a sensational 81 off just 63 deliveries as Pakistan were bowled out for 449.

A monumental effort - The seed of this fightback with the bat was laid last evening when Azan Awais and Shan Masood got together and took Pakistan from 0/2 to 52/2. The duo carried on in the morning session and added 125 vital runs. Masood got out in the 90s and Awais too got a half century as the English pacers weren't quite able to break through. Babar Azam came in when Pakistan had got some teeth back in the contest and he played positively. He added crucial stands with Masood and then Saud Shakeel en route to 76. England then enjoyed a good spell with the ball as Gus Atkinson got a couple of breakthroughs and it seemed like Pakistan would just fall short of avoid an innings defeat, but what came later on, was simply unbelievable.

6.01 pm GMT - STUMPS, DAY 3 - Well, well. We head into Day 4, and who would have thought that? Not many people, for sure - maybe not even the Pakistani fans - but England have been frustrated and forced to come back for one more day.

There's an appeal for LBW, and up goes the umpire's finger. Razaullah starts walking back, but he soon realizes that he can review. Seemed to be sliding down at first glance, and that's what the third umpire finds when he checks Ball Tracking. Not Out!

Mohammad Ali is the last batter in for Pakistan.

What are the odds of Razaullah being the first centurion of this Test series? Pretty high at this point. Still 15 minutes to go and three or four big hits could do it for him. Dan Lawrence is back on. Razaullah has his helmet off.

Over and out from Edgbaston - And with that, the English Test summer of 2026 comes to an end. The hosts started off with a stinging defeat to New Zealand by 2-1, but have capped it off with a commanding whitewash against Pakistan. In between, a lot of off-the-field chaos and drama happened, but all's well that ends well, eh? Their next Test assignment awaits in December as they take a trip to South Africa for a 3-match Test series starting from 17th December, 2026. For Pakistan, a wholesale squad change mid-series didn't go well, but they did unearth a gem in the form of Razaullah. They will again don the whites in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at home, starting from 9th November, 2026. But in between, there's plenty of cricketing action to take place, with both teams preparing for their next white-ball assignments too. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. It's time to sign off. CIAO!

England go 3-0 - Root now steps forward to collect the trophy from one of the dignitaries. And now, he makes his way over to his teammates, waiting eagerly for their captain to join them at the CHAMPIONS board. The English players, joyous, proud and beaming with broad smiles, pose for the photographs. There's plenty to be pleased about too. Robinson's destructive bowling this series overshadowed the likes of Archer, Tongue and Atkinson. Cox, brought in as cover for the injured Bethell, walked away with three half-centuries across the Tests he played. And not to forget how influential he was with the gloves as well. A summer that started with questions is ending with a few answers.

The victorious English captain - JOE ROOT says the series could hardly have gone better for England. While plenty has gone their way, he believes the resistance they faced the previous day was good for the group, and the convincing manner in which they came through that challenge and finished the job was particularly pleasing. Root admits England did not have much to work with against Razaullah, who played some wonderful shots and made life difficult for the bowlers. However, he says the side would have happily taken the prospect of chasing 130 at the start of the game, adding that the series has provided plenty of information to take into the winter. On England's bowling to the lower order, Root says it has been a wider theme across the team, with more players now capable of contributing with the bat down the order. He adds that England will continue working on that area to ensure they are better prepared. Addressing the lack of centuries during the summer, Root says every batter wants to go on and make a big score, but that has simply been the nature of the conditions. He feels the last couple of days have resembled more traditional Test cricket, allowing batters to get in and find a rhythm. Root points to England recovering from 2 for 2 with two batters still unbeaten as an encouraging sign, while also noting that scoring 400 twice in these conditions shows there has been plenty of good work from the group. Root also praises Cox for stepping up at No. 3, saying his five dismissals in the series went somewhat under the radar. He highlights the maturity and calmness with which he has settled into the role, particularly amid the noise and chaos surrounding the side. Root says the way the players have handled that external noise and remained clinical to complete a 3-0 series win has been hugely pleasing. He describes Stephen Fleming's arrival as the beginning of a new era but acknowledges that the team would not be in this position without the work done previously by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. Root adds that England will continue looking to evolve and improve. He also has special praise for Marcus Trescothick, describing him as an excellent coach who has had a strong influence on the group despite knowing his role was not long-term. Root says Trescothick will be better for the experience and hopes he gets the opportunity to work with him for much longer.

The captain of Pakistan - BABAR AZAM says that when they picked up a couple of wickets in the first over, they had the belief to pose a big challenge. But he credits the way Root and Cox batted all the way through. When asked about missing a specialist spinner, he mentions that the conditions were grassy, and that shaped the call to go with three seamers. On Razaullah's emergence, Babar can't hide his excitement. He calls him a serious talent and says it's a real bonus for Pakistan going forward. He reveals he had actually seen glimpses of his batting before, having watched him open the innings for Peshawar. Looking back at squad selection before the tour, Babar says some tough calls had to be made early. England is a tricky place for both batters and fast bowlers, he notes, and the group now needs to sit down, own their mistakes, and figure out their best XI. On whether specific series call for specific types of players, he agrees. Says different conditions demand different skill sets, but he is quick to add that the new faces have stepped up impressively.

PLAYER OF THE SERIES FOR ENGLAND - OLLIE ROBINSON is adjudged the winner by the Pakistani Head Coach, Mike Hesson. He bagged 21 wickets across these three Tests. He is also the Test Player of the Summer for England. Ollie Robinson says that it has been a very special summer for him and it is nice to cap it off with a 3-0 win. Adds that he thought that he was never going to play for England again, but is grateful for the opportunity and wants to carry on the momentum. Robinson mentions the group still has plenty of ambition to push on and insists the hard work is only just beginning. He admits the series has been a slightly strange one, with the pitches expected to be flatter but offering more movement with the new ball than anticipated. With the ball remaining harder and doing more than in previous summers, Robinson says the attack will have to adapt once again when England tour South Africa this winter. Robinson shares it has been special to be part of a four-man attack featuring three bowlers capable of regularly hitting 90mph, describing it as a really strong bowling group. He also credits Smudge for helping him pick up plenty of wickets by coming up to the stumps and making the job look easy. He adds that Coxy coming into the side and immediately getting five dismissals behind the stumps is another reflection of the depth and quality within the bowling group.

PLAYER OF THE SERIES FOR PAKISTAN - MOHAMMAD ABBAS now comes up for a quick word. He picked up 13 wickets in the series and made a couple of crucial contributions with the bat. On what fuels his success with the new ball, Abbas says picking up wickets early has always been his calling card. He talks about being reassured in team conversations that anything was still possible, even with the series gone, and credits everyone for chipping in when it mattered. When asked about the no-ball Mohammad Ali bowled that let an edge through the slip cordon, he says it happens under pressure. On batting alongside Razaullah, Abbas calls it one of the highlights of a series for Pakistan. He recalls facing him in first-class cricket last year, where Razaullah got among the runs even then, and backs him as a genuine prospect for Pakistan's future. Reflecting on his own series and that Lord's performance, he ties it back to 2018, when he first took eight wickets there. Adds that matching that with four wickets this time, and then digging out a fifer, meant everything to him personally and for his country. On the challenges during this tour, he points to the heat, noting Pakistan arrived from similarly hot conditions back home, and feels the squad simply needed more time to adjust. He accepts the result wasn't what they wanted, but says nobody stopped trying. About continuing to play at 36, Abbas says it is all about fitness. He credits the work he is putting in with his trainer and stays hopeful there is more cricket left in him yet.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - DAN LAWRENCE walks up to have a chat with Michael Atherton. He scored a brilliant 65 in the first innings, and picked up a couple of important wickets in the second innings. Dan Lawrence says that it wasn't the ideal start to the day, with Abbas doing what he does best, putting the ball in the right line and length, but thankfully they had the experience of Root and a bit of class from Cox that got them through. Lawrence shares playing under Joe Root's captaincy has created a great environment within the England camp. He adds that winning games has certainly helped, while the contributions from across the squad have made it an enjoyable and positive start. On his own all-round contribution, Lawrence says runs will always be his main priority, although he feels he left a few out in the middle. He was nevertheless pleased to contribute with the bat and also enjoyed taking a good catch and picking up a couple of wickets. Reflecting on his reaction after being dismissed, Lawrence says he had got off to a really good start that morning and was eager to cash in with a big score. While he was happy to have contributed, he admits it was frustrating not to make more of the opportunity. Lawrence points out that, apart from the current surface, batting has been challenging throughout the series. He says the pitches at Leeds and Lord's had plenty in them, meaning half-centuries have carried greater value, with big scores proving hard to come by. On converting his starts into a maiden Test hundred, Lawrence says he is happy with where his game is and believes the three-figure mark will come if he continues playing in the same manner. He adds that he is desperate to score not just one, but multiple hundreds for England, and trusts that continued hard work will eventually bring the rewards. Having contributed in all three games, Lawrence says his confidence has grown and he now feels more settled within the side. He hopes to continue getting opportunities and believes he is currently in a really good place with his game.

... The post-match Presentation ...

Root-Cox shut down the drama - No one expected the game to get dragged into the fourth day. It did. No one expected Pakistan to reduce England to 2/2, but they did as Abbas stormed through the front wall, dismissing both the English openers in the very first over and brought a bit of a spice in the contest. However, Root's calmness and composure eased the pressure off as England saw off the initial new-ball threat with a developing partnership between Root and Cox. England potentially could have been reduced to three wickets had Mohammad Ali not overstepped when Root, on 23, dragged one back onto the stumps. And from there, the two just kept chipping away with authority and didn't give Pakistan any chance to sniff back in.

A marvel from Mardan - Not even part of the original touring plans, drafted in as one of three uncapped faces, Razaullah deserves a story of his own here. A four-for on debut, with Root's wicket as the cherry on top, had already turned heads. But nobody, absolutely nobody, saw what he'd do with the bat coming. Walking in at 312/7, Pakistan still eight runs adrift and the innings threatening to cave, Razaullah decided this was his moment instead and lit up Edgbaston. There was no blocking, no survival instinct on show, just pure audacity against an English attack that had bossed this series from ball one. Alongside an equally stubborn Mohammad Abbas, he built a defiant 121-run stand, with nine sixes flying off his blade in an innings of 81. It not only took Pakistan into the lead but also swelled it well beyond three figures, before he finally fell late on day three, having authored one of the finds of this series in an extraordinary afternoon.

A late twist - A lead of 320 had England's bowlers looking sharp enough to finish the job without their own batters needing to strap the pads back on. Two wickets down before the first over was even done, Robinson doing his usual damage, and rather than wilt the way they had all series, this time Pakistan dug their studs in and refused to fold quietly. Awais, Shan Masood and Babar all brought up fifties, and for the first time in the series Pakistan found their first century stand, through Awais and Masood, with Masood eventually falling agonizingly short of the hundred he deserved. Babar, meanwhile, looked as fluent as he has in a long while. And those three back-to-back resilient partnerships from the middle order at least kept an innings defeat off the table.

Into the ascendancy - England's own top order wobbled to 39/3, Root included who was LBW once again, before a 104-run stand between Emilio Gay and Brook structured the foundation, after which the middle and lower order simply followed the blueprint, dragging the game further from Pakistan's reach. Four fifties dotted the innings, spearheaded by Brook, proof of how comfortable batting was on this surface, though nobody quite went on to make it count in three figures.

Knees buckled, pride bent - Root's decision to field first paid off instantly, as Pakistan, fielding as many as three debutants, were bundled out for a threadbare 133 in under 34 overs, a collapse born less of hostile bowling and more of nerves and unfamiliar conditions. Saud Shakeel's defiant 43 was the only innings of substance, and had the lower order not mounted its own small rebellion, with the last four batters facing more deliveries combined than the entire top four, the scorecard could have read far worse.

12.10 pm GMT - England saunter home - A perfect way to cap off the English Test summer as England do a complete series sweep over Pakistan by 3-0. Joe Root, fittingly, stays till the end and is all smiles as his captaincy 2.0 begins on a smooth note. With that, England have whitewashed Pakistan at home for the first time in Tests.Handshakes all round, with Root embracing Razaullah and his old Yorkshire teammate Shan Masood. Pakistan looked much better in this Test, especially in the second innings, but it proved too little too late in the end as England were just heavens above when it came to quality and experience.

Surely, this is the final over of the series. Cox seemingly looked keen for the skipper to finish things off with the winning runs.

England need 9 runs to win. Could be the last couple of overs of this English Test summer.