Pakistan’s tour of England descended into further turmoil on day three of the third Test at Edgbaston, as the tourists lost seven wickets for just 100 runs during a bleak opening session. The dismal display left the visiting dressing room in dispair and put their hopes of a series flourish firmly in jeopardy.
Recent controversial administrative changes implemented by the Pakistan Cricket Board were intended to revitalize the team, but on a flat pitch under overcast skies, those remedies appeared insufficient. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja described the side’s technique and mindset as “pretty ordinary,” noting signs of “mental fatigue and turmoil” within the camp.
Raja criticized the batting lineup for a lack of proactivity. “I think Pakistan have been waiting for the ball to come and damage them completely,” he told Test Match Special. “They have not been proactive at all. They have to have a plan.”
England’s bowlers, led by a four-pronged seam attack after Joe Root won the toss, capitalized on the conditions with precision. Former England captain Michael Vaughan labeled the morning “embarrassing” for the visitors, adding that the team was clearly short on confidence after a difficult week.
The collapse carried historic significance. With the top five batters all dismissed for single-digit scores, Pakistan became only the second team ever to suffer such a fate in a Test match first innings, the first being Australia in 1888. Furthermore, the tourists are on track to break another record: no team has ever started an innings more poorly in a series in England than Pakistan’s current average of 11.2 runs for the fall of their second wicket.
Statistical analysis highlighted the severity of the batting failures. Pakistan registered a false-shot percentage of 40% during the session, the second-highest opening session figure since 2006. Senior players such as Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel were caught out playing extravagantly outside off stump, a lapse in discipline that drew sharp criticism.
The session unfolded rapidly from 11:13 BST. Ollie Robinson trapped Saim Ayub lbw for a duck, followed by Jofra Archer removing Azan Awais. Robinson then induced an edge from Abdullah Shafique, and Archer had Shan Masood caught at mid-on. Josh Tongue then bowled Babar Azam for seven, before also removing Ghazi Ghori and Mohammad Imran to seal the catastrophic morning.
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