Pakistan have responded strongly to their heavy defeat in the first Test, putting England under sustained pressure on the opening day at Lord’s. After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Pakistan’s pace attack exploited the overcast conditions and reduced England to 248/9 after 56 overs.

Mohammad Abbas led the attack with 4 for 56 from 15 overs, while Mohammad Ali added three wickets. Khurram Shahzad took the other wicket, giving Pakistan eight wickets overall on a shortened day. The performance was a significant improvement from their bowling and fielding display at Headingley.

England’s top order struggled badly after the delayed start. The hosts fell to 80/4 by lunch, with Abbas removing Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett and Joe Root. Harry Brook was later dismissed by Mohammad Ali, leaving England in serious trouble before their middle order mounted a recovery.

England Still Have One Wicket in Hand

England avoided complete collapse through important contributions from Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith. Cox scored 55, while Smith top-scored with 61 from 80 balls. Gus Atkinson remained unbeaten on 34 when bad light ended play, leaving England one wicket away from being bowled out.

Mohammad Abbas was the standout performer for Pakistan on Day 1, producing a superb 4 for 56 from 15 overs as the visitors’ pace attack kept England under pressure throughout the shortened opening day at Lord’s.

Abbas made an immediate impact after Pakistan chose to bowl. He removed Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett and England captain Joe Root inside the first 11 overs, reducing the hosts to 36 for 3. His control around the off stump and ability to bring the ball back into the right-handers made him particularly difficult to negotiate.

The spell also produced a major personal milestone. Duckett’s dismissal gave Abbas his 900th first-class wicket, adding a landmark achievement to an already influential performance. The milestone came at a venue where Abbas made his Test debut in 2018.

England’s top order struggled badly against Pakistan’s new-ball attack after the delayed start at Lord’s. The hosts slipped to 36 for 3 inside the opening 11 overs, giving Pakistan exactly the kind of start they needed after their heavy defeat at Headingley.

Mohammad Abbas was at the center of the collapse. He removed Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett before dismissing England captain Joe Root for just four. The wickets came through disciplined bowling around the stumps, with Abbas repeatedly asking England’s batters to play in difficult areas.

Harry Brook also failed to make a major contribution, falling to Mohammad Ali for 15. England had therefore lost four wickets for only 80 runs by lunch, leaving the middle and lower order with the responsibility of rebuilding the innings.

England’s response to the early collapse was led by Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith, who combined for a vital 67-run partnership. Their stand helped England recover from 120 for 5 and pushed the hosts toward a competitive total before Pakistan’s bowlers struck again late in the day.

Cox played the longer supporting role, making 55 from 105 balls with seven fours. He had already helped England through difficult periods earlier in the innings, first adding 41 with Harry Brook and then 43 with Dan Lawrence. His ability to absorb pressure was crucial after Pakistan’s new-ball attack had reduced England to 36 for 3.

Smith then provided the acceleration England needed. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 61 from 80 balls, hitting 10 fours before Mohammad Ali breached his defence. His innings ensured England did not surrender the initiative completely after reaching 187 for 6.

England’s response to the early collapse was led by Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith, who combined for a vital 67-run partnership. Their stand helped England recover from 120 for 5 and pushed the hosts toward a competitive total before Pakistan’s bowlers struck again late in the day.

Cox played the longer supporting role, making 55 from 105 balls with seven fours. He had already helped England through difficult periods earlier in the innings, first adding 41 with Harry Brook and then 43 with Dan Lawrence. His ability to absorb pressure was crucial after Pakistan’s new-ball attack had reduced England to 36 for 3.

Smith then provided the acceleration England needed. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 61 from 80 balls, hitting 10 fours before Mohammad Ali breached his defence. His innings ensured England did not surrender the initiative completely after reaching 187 for 6.

Pakistan’s bowling performance was the clearest sign of a turnaround from the first Test. Their three main pacers shared the wickets effectively, with Mohammad Abbas taking four, Mohammad Ali taking three and Khurram Shahzad claiming one as England reached 248 for nine. The disciplined attack kept England under pressure despite the hosts’ late recovery.

Abbas set the tone with his movement and control, while Ali repeatedly attacked the stumps and finished with 3 for 67. Khurram also played an important role by dismissing Jordan Cox for 55 with a spectacular catch from Salman Ali Agha completing the chance at second slip.

The improvement was not limited to wicket-taking. Pakistan created pressure through tighter bowling and better fielding than they showed at Headingley. Their ability to keep taking wickets after England’s middle-order recovery prevented the hosts from turning 120 for five into a much larger total.

Pakistan Must Finish the Job Quickly

England still have Gus Atkinson unbeaten on 34 and Josh Tongue on one when play resumes. Pakistan therefore need to avoid allowing the final wicket to add unnecessary runs. Removing Atkinson early would give the visitors a chance to begin their own innings without losing further momentum.

Day 2 begins with Pakistan in a strong position, but England still have an opportunity to improve their total. The hosts resume at 248 for nine, with Gus Atkinson unbeaten on 34 and Josh Tongue on one. Pakistan therefore need only one wicket to complete the innings, but removing Atkinson quickly will be important if they want to avoid conceding a late burst of runs.

Pakistan’s first priority will be to finish the job with the ball. Mohammad Abbas ended Day 1 with 4 for 56, leaving him one wicket short of a five-wicket haul. Another early breakthrough would allow Pakistan to take the momentum directly into their batting innings.

England, meanwhile, will hope Atkinson can extend his unbeaten contribution. His 34 came from only 27 balls, including five boundaries, and another 20 or 30 runs could make the first-innings total considerably more useful if England’s bowlers can later exploit the Lord’s conditions.

Pakistan’s Batting Becomes the Next Test

Once England are bowled out, the focus will shift to Pakistan’s batting. This is where the visitors must avoid repeating their Headingley problems. Babar Azam’s return gives Pakistan greater experience, but England’s seamers will be encouraged by the movement they found on Day 1.

England entered the Lord’s Test with a 1–0 lead after completing an innings-and-103-run victory at Headingley. Pakistan were dismissed for 171 and 135 in that match, while England posted 409 in their first innings.

The second Test has so far followed a very different pattern. Pakistan’s seamers responded strongly after winning the toss and choosing to bowl, restricting England to 248 for nine after 56 overs on a rain- and bad-light-affected opening day.

That puts Pakistan in a position to challenge England for the first time in the series. If they can finish England’s innings quickly and build a substantial first-innings score themselves, the visitors can put the pressure back on the hosts and give themselves a realistic chance of leveling the series.