Pakistan collapse to 133 all out against England in third Test

Pakistan slumped to 133 all out on the opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday after the latest in a series of woeful batting displays that have marred their tour of England.

Pakistan, already 2-0 down in the three-match series, banished seven players and sacked both head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul after a heavy 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s.

They fielded three debutants among four changes to their side in Birmingham but the reshuffle, unsurprisingly, made little difference, with Pakistan yet to make 200 in five innings.

Pakistan again had few answers to Ollie Robinson (3-15) and Jofra Archer (3-25) as the new-ball pair made the most of helpful, overcast conditions after England captain Joe Root won the toss.

Fellow paceman Josh Tongue then got in on the act with 4-42 in an innings wrapped up inside 34 overs.

Only Saud Shakeel, fresh from his 97 at Lord’s, offered any resistance by a specialist batsman with 43 before tailender Mohammad Abbas was last man out for 21.

Pakistan’s latest slump started when recalled opener Saim Ayub was out for a duck, lbw to a typical Robinson nip-backer as the 32-year-old took his 100th Test wicket.

Express quick Archer then undid Azan Awais with a short ball.
Abdullah Shafique nicked Robinson to gully and Pakistan were 26-4 inside 10 overs when the experienced Shan Masood holed out, tamely attempting to pull Archer.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, without a Test century in nearly four years, was dismissed for just seven, clean bowled by an excellent Tongue delivery that jagged back off the seam.

And Pakistan were 64-6 when wicket-keeper Ghazi Ghori, one of the three Pakistan debutants, along with Mohammad Imran and Razaullah, was lbw to Tongue for four.

Pakistan, who have lost 15 of their past 20 Tests, were seven down before lunch when Tongue bowled Imran for five with a brilliant yorker that broke a stump.

But Razaullah flayed the last ball of the session, from Tongue, over cover for four to bring up the 100.

Razaullah, however, fell to his first ball after lunch when his edged drive off Robinson’s leg-cutter flew to Ben Duckett in the slips.

Saud’s impressive 47-ball innings, including seven fours, came to an end when he was bowled between bat and pad by a seaming Tongue delivery that knocked over his off stump, with Pakistan now 107-9.

Abbas batted gamely before edging Archer to second slip.