England are firmly in control of the second Test at Lord’s after a dramatic second day. The hosts resumed at 248 for nine and added another 42 runs through Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue before Ali Usman dismissed Atkinson for 45. Tongue remained unbeaten on 30 as England reached 290 all out in 66.4 overs.

Pakistan’s reply then collapsed spectacularly. The visitors were dismissed for just 110 in 37.2 overs, giving England a first-innings advantage of 180 runs. Azan Awais was Pakistan’s only substantial contributor with 46 from 102 balls, while Saud Shakeel made 16. No other Pakistan batter reached double figures.

England’s pace attack was ruthless. Ollie Robinson produced remarkable figures of 4 for 11 in 13 overs, including six maidens, while Jofra Archer took three wickets and Josh Tongue claimed two. Pakistan lost five wickets for only 37 runs in the final 44 balls of their innings.

England then added to Pakistan’s problems in the second innings. Khurram Shahzad removed Ben Duckett and Jordan Cox early, before Mohammad Ali dismissed Joe Root after a 47-run partnership with Emilio Gay. Bad light eventually ended play with England at 81 for 3 after 22 overs, 261 runs ahead overall.

Ollie Robinson was the standout bowler as England dismantled Pakistan for just 110 in their first innings at Lord’s. The seamer finished with outstanding figures of 4 for 11 from 13 overs, conceding only 11 runs during a spell that also included six maidens.

Robinson’s control made scoring extremely difficult for Pakistan’s batters. He consistently challenged the stumps and maintained pressure from one end while Jofra Archer attacked from the other. The result was a Pakistan batting collapse that gave England a commanding 180-run first-innings lead.

Robinson’s wickets included Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Khurram Shahzad and Azan Awais. His dismissal of Awais ended Pakistan’s most stubborn resistance and left England in a position to push for a substantial advantage in the match.

Pakistan’s first innings turned into a major setback at Lord’s. Chasing England’s total of 290, Pakistan were bowled out for only 110 in 37.2 overs, leaving England with a substantial 180-run lead. The collapse erased much of the advantage Pakistan had created with their bowling on Day 1.

The visitors were immediately under pressure after losing Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique early. Babar Azam then fell to Josh Tongue in the 17th over, leaving Pakistan struggling to build a meaningful partnership. Saud Shakeel and Azan Awais briefly tried to rebuild, but Robinson’s dismissal of Saud ended that resistance.

Azan Awais was Pakistan’s leading scorer with 46 from 102 balls, including seven fours. His innings was the only significant resistance in an otherwise difficult batting display. Saud Shakeel was the only other Pakistan batter to reach double figures, scoring 16 from 16 balls.

The final phase was particularly damaging. Pakistan lost five wickets for just 37 runs in the last 44 balls, allowing England’s seamers to finish the innings quickly. Ollie Robinson took four wickets, Jofra Archer three and Josh Tongue two as England’s pace attack completely controlled the contest.

Jofra Archer provided another major threat for England during Pakistan’s collapse. The fast bowler finished with 3 for 26 from 11.2 overs, working in tandem with Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue to bowl Pakistan out for only 110.

Archer’s pace was particularly difficult for Pakistan’s lower order. His spell was measured at an average of 90.7 mph, according to the speed readings reported after the day’s play. Archer himself played down the numbers, joking that the speed guns could be inaccurate, but his impact on the Pakistan batting order was clear.

He struck early by removing Shan Masood for one, setting the tone for England’s attack. Later, Archer returned to dismiss Ali Usman and Pakistan’s final batter, Mohammad Abbas, completing a three-wicket haul. His ability to generate pace from the Lord’s surface gave England another dimension alongside Robinson’s movement and control.

Amid Pakistan’s dramatic batting collapse, Azan Awais emerged as the lone significant source of resistance. The young batter scored 46 from 102 balls, hitting seven fours while spending valuable time at the crease against England’s relentless seam attack.

Awais’ innings became increasingly important as wickets continued to fall around him. Pakistan struggled to build partnerships and eventually lost five wickets for only 37 runs in the final 44 balls. Awais remained the main obstacle to England completing the innings even earlier before Ollie Robinson eventually dismissed him.

His 46 was more than twice the next-highest Pakistan score, with Saud Shakeel contributing 16. That statistic underlined how difficult the rest of the batting order found England’s bowling conditions at Lord’s.

After bowling Pakistan out for 110, England returned to the crease with a 180-run first-innings advantage. The hosts added another 81 runs for the loss of three wickets before bad light stopped play, taking their overall lead to 261 runs.

Pakistan did not allow England to build the second innings without a fight. Khurram Shahzad struck twice, removing Ben Duckett and Jordan Cox early. Mohammad Ali then dismissed Joe Root, who had added 24 during a 47-run partnership with Emilio Gay.

Despite those wickets, England remained comfortably ahead because of the enormous advantage created by their first innings and Pakistan’s collapse. Emilio Gay finished the day unbeaten on 30, while Harry Brook was unbeaten on 7.

The equation now favors England heavily. Pakistan need seven more wickets before they can begin their chase, while England have enough time to increase the target substantially if weather permits a full day’s play.

England will begin the third day in a commanding position at 81 for 3, with their overall lead standing at 261 runs. Emilio Gay is unbeaten on 30 and Harry Brook is on seven, giving the hosts a solid platform from which to build an even larger target.

Pakistan’s priority will be to take wickets with the new ball. Khurram Shahzad has already removed Ben Duckett and Jordan Cox, while Mohammad Ali accounted for Joe Root, so the visitors know that England’s remaining batters can still be put under pressure.

England, however, have little reason to rush. With seven wickets remaining, they can attempt to bat through the first part of the day and push the lead beyond 300 runs. A sufficiently large target would allow their pace attack to attack Pakistan’s fragile batting order again.

Weather Could Remain Important

Weather and bad light have already disrupted both opening days. Another reduction in playing time would change the equation, particularly for England if they want enough time to bowl Pakistan out. Pakistan therefore need to make the most of every available session and avoid allowing England to control the tempo.

England came into the second Test with a 1–0 series lead after a dominant victory at Headingley. The hosts won the opening Test by an innings and 103 runs, leaving Pakistan under immediate pressure to respond at Lord’s.

Pakistan initially appeared ready for that challenge. Their seamers reduced England to 248 for nine on the opening day, with Mohammad Abbas taking four wickets. However, England’s lower order added important runs on the second morning before their pace attack completely changed the match.

England eventually reached 290 all out, while Pakistan collapsed for only 110. The 180-run first-innings advantage has allowed England to control the match, and their second innings ended Day 2 at 81 for three, giving them an overall lead of 261 runs.

If England complete the victory at Lord’s, they will move to a 2–0 lead and secure the three-match series with one Test still remaining. Pakistan, meanwhile, need a major turnaround on Day 3 to prevent England from taking an unassailable advantage.