England are firmly in control of the second Test at Lord’s after three rain-affected days. At stumps on Day 3, England had reached 177 for seven in their second innings, leaving Pakistan facing a deficit of 357 runs with only three wickets still standing.

The hosts had already secured a huge advantage earlier in the match by dismissing Pakistan for just 110 in their first innings. Ollie Robinson led the attack with 4 for 11, while Jofra Archer claimed 3 for 26 as Pakistan’s batting collapsed after England had posted 290.

England’s second innings has not been completely straightforward. Pakistan’s bowlers have continued to take wickets, with Mohammad Abbas taking three wickets on Day 3 and Mohammad Ali claiming another two. Abbas now has seven wickets in the match and has remained Pakistan’s biggest threat with the ball.

Despite those breakthroughs, Dan Lawrence’s unbeaten 50 has kept England in command. Lawrence reached his half-century from 66 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes, while Ollie Robinson was unbeaten on two when rain brought the day to an early end.

Pakistan had made a promising start with the ball on the opening day, but their batting collapse completely changed the direction of the second Test. England were eventually dismissed for 290 in their first innings, giving Pakistan a realistic opportunity to stay in the contest.

Instead, Pakistan’s batting failed to deal with England’s pace attack. They were bowled out for just 110 in 47.2 overs, handing England a first-innings advantage of 180 runs.

Ollie Robinson was the outstanding bowler, finishing with 4 for 11 from 13 overs. Jofra Archer added 3 for 26, while Josh Tongue claimed two wickets as England repeatedly broke through Pakistan’s batting order.

Pakistan’s last nine wickets fell for only 45 runs. Azan Awais was the only batter to offer substantial resistance, top-scoring with 46, but England’s relentless pressure prevented Pakistan from building a competitive first-innings total.

England’s biggest advantage at Lord’s has been the quality and variety of their pace attack. Once Pakistan began losing wickets, Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer kept the pressure on and prevented the visitors from building meaningful partnerships.

Robinson produced the standout figures of the innings, finishing with 4 for 11 from 13 overs. His accuracy and ability to maintain pressure outside the off stump made scoring difficult, while regular wickets kept Pakistan’s lower order exposed.

Jofra Archer provided the extra pace and aggression, taking 3 for 26. His ability to attack the batters with pace complemented Robinson’s control and gave England two contrasting threats throughout the innings.

Josh Tongue also played an important supporting role with two wickets, ensuring Pakistan never found the sustained partnership they needed. The combined effort resulted in Pakistan being dismissed for just 110.

Dan Lawrence emerged as England’s key batter on Day 3, producing an unbeaten 50 as the hosts extended their overall lead to 357 runs. England resumed at 81 for three after Pakistan had been dismissed for 110, but the conditions remained difficult for batting.

Pakistan’s bowlers found movement and uneven bounce, with Mohammad Abbas particularly effective. Abbas dismissed Emilio Gay and Harry Brook before Pakistan removed Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson. Lawrence, however, refused to allow the pressure to completely dictate the tempo of his innings.

The England batter mixed patience with controlled aggression. He reached his half-century from 66 balls, striking six fours and two sixes. His willingness to attack when bowlers missed their lengths helped England continue adding runs despite regular interruptions.

The innings was particularly significant because Lawrence has returned to the England Test side after a two-year absence. He has also scored a half-century in the series opener at Headingley, making his second fifty another positive sign for England’s reshaped batting order.

While Pakistan’s batting collapse has put them under enormous pressure, Mohammad Abbas has continued to give the visitors something to fight with. The experienced seamer has taken seven wickets in the match and remains Pakistan’s biggest threat with the ball.

Abbas was particularly effective during England’s second innings. He removed Emilio Gay and Harry Brook and later returned to dismiss Gus Atkinson, preventing England from turning their large first-innings advantage into an even more imposing lead without losing wickets.

His ability to maintain a probing line has been valuable in conditions where the ball has moved around. Abbas has repeatedly forced England’s batters to play, creating pressure even when Pakistan have struggled to make the most of their opportunities at the other end.

The problem for Pakistan is that Abbas needs support. England’s batting depth means one effective bowler is unlikely to be enough to prevent the hosts from setting a huge fourth-innings target.

Pakistan’s batting has become the biggest concern of the England series. After struggling to post substantial totals in the first Test, they were dismissed for just 110 in their first innings at Lord’s, leaving England with a 180-run advantage.

The collapse was particularly damaging because Pakistan had already shown signs of vulnerability at Headingley. Their first-innings scores in the series have repeatedly left their bowlers with little margin for error, and England have been able to capitalize on those opportunities.

At Lord’s, Azan Awais was Pakistan’s top scorer with 46, but there was very little support around him. Once England’s seamers began taking regular wickets, Pakistan struggled to build partnerships and were eventually bowled out in only 37.2 overs.

The situation becomes even more difficult because Pakistan are now likely to face a fourth-innings target comfortably above 350. Their previous performances suggest that simply surviving England’s pace attack for long periods will be a major challenge.

The conditions at Lord’s have played a significant role throughout the second Test. Rain delayed the start on multiple days, while bad light also brought early finishes. Day 3 was particularly frustrating, with only 24.5 overs possible before prolonged rain ended play.

The surface has also offered enough assistance to the seamers to make batting demanding. Pakistan’s fast bowlers have found movement, while England’s attack used accuracy, pace and pressure to dismiss Pakistan for 110 in the first innings.

England’s second innings has again shown that batting is possible when players settle. Dan Lawrence reached an unbeaten 50 from 66 balls, but Pakistan’s bowlers continued to take wickets whenever they maintained disciplined lines.

With England already 357 runs ahead and only three wickets remaining, the weather is now arguably more important than the pitch itself. England need enough time to finish their innings and then bowl Pakistan out, while every lost session reduces the pressure they can apply in the fourth innings.

Pakistan’s first priority on Day 4 will be to finish England’s second innings as quickly as possible. England resumed their position with a 357-run lead and three wickets remaining, meaning Pakistan need early breakthroughs if they are to keep the target within any realistic range.

Mohammad Abbas remains Pakistan’s most important weapon. He has already taken seven wickets in the match and has shown that he can trouble England’s batters when he maintains a consistent line and length. Pakistan will need similar pressure from the other end.

Once England declare or are bowled out, Pakistan will face the much bigger challenge of batting through a potentially long fourth innings. Their first-innings collapse to 110 showed how difficult the conditions can be against England’s pace attack.

Pakistan’s batters cannot afford another aggressive collapse. They will need to value their wickets, build partnerships and make England work for every breakthrough. Even if a victory is unrealistic, a strong fourth-innings resistance could save the Test and deny England a 2–0 series lead.

England’s calculation will be equally important. With a massive advantage already secured, Ben Stokes’ side must balance adding runs with leaving enough time to dismiss Pakistan. Further weather interruptions could make that decision even more significant.