England won all three Test matches against Pakistan. Joe Root and Jordan Cox secured the last victory in Birmingham after a difficult start. England needed 130 points to win, but its first two players were out when the team had scored only two. Root and Cox then took the score to 130 together. Pakistan could not stop either of them before England won.
Abbas sends Duckett and Gay out early
England began the last part of the match needing 130 points to win. That gave the team an opportunity to finish the contest on the fourth day. Mohammad Abbas stopped both Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay, leaving England on a score of just two with its first two players already out.
The need to score 130 points did not remove the pressure. If Pakistan had stopped a third player soon afterwards, another England player would have had to begin with the team still far from victory. Root and Cox prevented that situation. They stayed together and continued adding points instead of allowing Pakistan to send several players out in quick succession.
Root and Cox each score more than 50
Both players scored more than 50 points and remained in play until the end. Together they added everything England still needed. Pakistan had stopped the first two players almost immediately, but could not stop the next pair before the winning score was reached.
England used only four players during this final part of the match: Duckett and Gay first, followed by Root and Cox. The remaining players did not have to bat. Pakistan’s early success therefore did not lead to a close finish. The visitors created pressure at the start but were unable to bring another England player into the contest.
| Stage | Match situation |
|---|---|
| Points needed | 130 |
| Early score | Two points; first two players already out |
| Root and Cox | Each scored more than 50; both still playing when England won |
| Three-match result | Three England victories |
Three victories follow defeats against Australia and New Zealand
The result followed a difficult period for England in Test cricket. England had lost the Ashes competition in Australia and then suffered a home series defeat against New Zealand. Winning all three matches against Pakistan gave the team a much stronger result before the next part of its schedule.
In his comments after the match, Root praised the way England’s players had responded to pressure. He was pleased that the team had completed three convincing victories. He also regarded the performance in Birmingham as useful evidence when considering the team’s next steps. England had produced a response to its earlier defeats, although those results remained part of the wider season.
Root contributes as captain and scorer
Root had resumed the England captaincy after Ben Stokes stepped away following the matches against New Zealand. In Birmingham, Root exceeded 50 points for the second time in the Pakistan series. He had also passed that mark during the victory in Leeds. His contribution therefore included both leading the team and scoring during two of its three wins.
Stephen Fleming’s arrival as head coach marks another change around the team. Root described the coming period as a new phase, while also recognising the work done under the previous leadership. The practical challenge is to carry the stronger results forward without treating a change of personnel as an instant solution to every problem.
England gain championship ground but remain sixth
The victory improved England’s points percentage in the World Test Championship, although they remained in sixth place. Pakistan stayed at the bottom of the table. The championship uses the proportion of available points earned, so a series result and a team’s table position are related but not interchangeable.
For England, the clean sweep provides valuable progress rather than a guaranteed place in the final. Their earlier defeats still form part of the campaign. Pakistan’s position reflects a longer sequence of results too, and the Birmingham loss adds to the need for a more effective response in future series.
Babar wants Pakistan to improve team selection
Pakistan captain Babar Azam said the team needed to acknowledge its mistakes and choose the best eleven for different playing conditions. He recognised that playing cricket in England was difficult for both players trying to score and fast bowlers. He also found encouragement in the performances of some newer members of the team.
Abbas showed that Pakistan could challenge England even with a small score to defend. His early success, however, was not followed by another breakthrough against Root or Cox. England completed the match without requiring its remaining players. The difference between the opening minutes and the final result explains how a difficult start became another decisive home victory.
