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Joe Root has become the most successful England captain against Asian teams in Test cricket, while Pakistan's recent struggles in overseas conditions continued after the Three Lions secured a 194-run victory at Lord's to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Root, who led England from 2017 to 2022, has recorded 15 Test wins against Asian sides in 25 matches as captain, the most by an England skipper. He is followed by Andrew Strauss with 14 wins in 22 matches, Alastair Cook with 12 victories in 30 matches, and Nasser Hussain and Ben Stokes with seven wins each. The defeat extended Pakistan's poor record in SENA countries, as they have now remained winless in their last 18 Tests in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia since 2018. During this period, Pakistan have suffered 16 defeats and managed two draws, with their last win coming at Lord's in May 2018. Pakistan also lost a Test at Lord's for the first time since 2010 after winning at the venue in 2016 and 2018. Their last Test series victory in England came in 1996. The second Test also highlighted Pakistan's batting struggles, with their false-shot percentage recorded at 32.7 per cent, the second-highest in a Test match in England since ball-by-ball data became available. The only higher figure was recorded during the England-South Africa Test at The Oval in 2022, with 32.9 per cent. Pakistan's match aggregate of 304 runs was their sixth-lowest in a Test played on English soil. In their previous Test at Leeds, Pakistan managed a combined total of 306 runs. The visitors also recorded one of their lowest ball counts in a completed Test, facing only 529 balls across their two innings at Lord's. Their lowest remains 419 balls against England at the same venue in 2010. Coming to the match, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer dismantled Pakistan's batting lineup as England bowled out the visitors for 194 while chasing a target of 389. Robinson starred with match figures of 8/35 and was named Player of the Match. Earlier, England recovered from a difficult start in the first innings after Pakistan reduced them to 77/4. Jordan Cox (55) and Jamie Smith (61) steadied the innings, while lower-order contributions from Gus Atkinson (45) and Josh Tongue (30*) helped England post 290. Pakistan's bowlers Mohammed Abbas (4/73) and Mohammed Ali (3/86) impressed, but their batters struggled as they were bowled out for 110 in the first innings. Robinson claimed four wickets, while Archer and Tongue picked up three and two wickets respectively to give England a 180-run lead. England set Pakistan a target of 389 after scoring 208 in their second innings, with Dan Lawrence top-scoring with 54. Abbas claimed a five-wicket haul for Pakistan. In the chase, Pakistan lost early wickets before Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel attempted a recovery with a 97-run partnership. Shakeel scored a fighting 97, but England's bowlers continued to dominate as Pakistan were dismissed for 194. (ANI)
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