London, August 28, 2026: Pakistan lost experienced opener Shan Masood and in-form Abdullah Shafique in the morning session on Friday as England were bowled out for 290 on the second day of the second Test at Lord’s.
At lunch, Pakistan were struggling at 105-7, still trailing England by 184 runs, with emerging opener Azan Awais unbeaten on eight.
Pakistan made a disastrous start to their reply, losing Masood for one in the fourth over with only five runs on the board.
Azan and Shafique then added 11 runs for the second wicket before England pacer Josh Tongue dismissed Shafique caught behind off the first delivery of the 15th over. The wicket reduced Pakistan to 16-2 and prompted the umpires to call lunch.
Earlier, England resumed their first innings at 248-9 after only 56 overs were possible on the opening day because of rain and bad light. They added 42 runs in 10.4 overs before being dismissed for 290.
Gus Atkinson was the last batter dismissed, falling for 45 off 46 balls, including six boundaries, while Josh Tongue remained unbeaten on 30 off 48 deliveries, with four fours.
Atkinson and Tongue put together a valuable 47-run partnership for the 10th wicket, helping England recover from a precarious position and post a competitive total.
Pakistan’s bowling attack was led by Mohammad Abbas, who finished with impressive figures of 4-73 from 20 overs. Mohammad Ali claimed three wickets, while Khurram Shahzad and Ali Usman took one wicket apiece.
The visitors had largely dominated the opening day, although only 56 overs were possible. Rain delayed the toss and start of play, while deteriorating light brought the day to an early close, around an hour before the scheduled finish.
England had resumed the final session at 180-5 but lost four wickets in the last 12 overs as Pakistan’s pace attack tightened the pressure.
Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith added only seven runs to their sixth-wicket partnership before Shahzad dismissed Cox, who was brilliantly caught by substitute fielder Salman Ali Agha at second slip. Cox top-scored for England at that stage with 55 off 105 balls, including seven boundaries.
Smith then added 35 with Atkinson for the seventh wicket before Mohammad Ali removed him in the 53rd over. Smith scored 61 off 80 balls, striking 10 fours, to emerge as England’s top scorer in the innings.
Ali struck again in the same over, bowling Ollie Robinson for a duck to leave England at 222-8.
Atkinson and Jofra Archer briefly resisted with a 21-run ninth-wicket stand before Abbas dismissed Archer for 14, ending the day’s play with England at 248-9.
Abbas had finished the opening day as Pakistan’s standout bowler with four wickets for 56 runs from 15 overs, while Ali had taken three wickets and Shahzad one.
Earlier, England had reached 180-5 at tea after scoring 100 runs for the loss of one wicket during the session.
Cox and Smith had resumed at 80-4, but England suffered an early setback when Dan Lawrence was run out following a mix-up. Lawrence made 17 off 41 balls, including one boundary.
Pakistan had won the toss and elected to field, and their decision initially paid dividends as the bowling attack dominated the opening session.
England openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay put on 21 inside five overs before Abbas had Gay caught behind.
The experienced seamer struck again in his next over, dismissing Duckett for 17 off 20 balls to reduce England to 26-2.
Joe Root joined Cox but managed only four from 13 deliveries before becoming Abbas’s third victim after a 10-run partnership.
Harry Brook then made 15 and shared a 31-run fourth-wicket stand with Cox before Mohammad Ali bowled him in the final over of the opening session.
With Pakistan having already lost two early wickets in their reply, England will look to press home their advantage in the second session, while Pakistan will rely on Azan and Babar to steady the innings and reduce the substantial first-innings deficit.
