Pakistan suffered a disastrous start to the third Test match against England at Edgbaston, being bowled out for 133 and setting several unwanted records. The team’s performance has been described as “embarrassing” and comes after recent changes made by the Pakistan Cricket Board intended to revitalize the squad.
The tourists’ top five batsmen were all dismissed for single figures, totaling 48 runs – the first time this has occurred in the first innings of a Test match. This contributed to Pakistan potentially breaking a record for the worst start to an innings during a series in England. Through the first two wickets of this series, Pakistan has scored a total of 56 runs, averaging 5.6 runs per wicket, and 11.2 runs for the fall of the second wicket. This is on pace to surpass the record set by Australia in 1888, who averaged 16 runs for their second wicket.
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja commented on the team’s performance, stating their “technique and mindset” were “pretty ordinary.” He also acknowledged the “mental fatigue and turmoil” within the team, noting they had not been “proactive” and lacked a clear plan despite playing on a pitch that wasn’t overly challenging. CricViz data indicated the pitch had a bounce inconsistency rating of 5.7, higher than previous Edgbaston Tests.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan described Pakistan as “clearly shot for confidence” and expressed sympathy, calling the situation “embarrassing” given the challenges the team has faced in the past week. One of the newly called-up players, Saim Ayub, was playing in his first first-class match since October 2025, and his dismissal while facing Ollie Robinson was seen as inevitable. The batting performance also appeared to lack the necessary discipline.
Read the original coverage
💬 Comments
📜 Comment Policy