England On Verge of Series Whitewash as Robinson Dominates Pakistan in Birmingham

England moved firmly toward a 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan on Thursday as Ollie Robinson delivered a masterclass in bowling at Edgbaston. Robinson claimed two wickets in his opening overs of the day, striking with the first delivery of Pakistan’s second innings and again three balls later to put the visitors in deep trouble.

Pakistan reached 52 for 2 before rain interrupted play early on day two, requiring 268 more runs to force England to bat once more. The demoralized tourists found themselves on the brink of elimination in the third Test.

Robinson, who was named man of the match in the first two Tests, has been nearly unplayable throughout the series. The 32-year-old fast bowler has taken 21 wickets at an average of under seven, continuing his purple patch in Birmingham. He removed Saim Ayub for a duck in both innings before dismissing Abdullah Shafique to finish with figures of 2 for 10 from six overs.

“He’s probably one of the most consistent bowlers in world cricket,” Pakistan batting coach Mike Smith said. “He knows what he’s doing with the ball, and he wears you down a bit so it’s a challenge. He has bowled exceptionally well, and he’s in a little purple patch as a player. We need to find a way to combat that as well as we can.”

Shan Masood survived a slip chance off Gus Atkinson, dropped by Ben Duckett, and finished the day unbeaten on 21. He shared the crease with opener Azan Awais, who reached 29, but Pakistan’s position appeared hopeless.

Earlier, England had extended their lead overnight advantage to a daunting 320 runs. They posted 453, with Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence building an 86-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Brook departed for 75 from 97 balls, run out by Masood while attempting a difficult single. Lawrence followed for 65 off 82 balls, dragging a wide ball onto his stumps to give Mohammad Imran his first Test wicket. The knock marked Lawrence’s third consecutive half-century in Tests since his recall after a two-year absence.

“I’m really happy with how I’ve contributed,” Lawrence said. “I was feeling really good today, got on a bit of a roll with Brooky and went with it. I thought I was going to make a really big score, to be honest. It wasn’t to be, but I think if I’d been offered 65 at the start of the day, I’d have taken it.”

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith also contributed with a valuable 69 off 84 balls, overcoming an uncertain start and a finger injury that forced him to hand catching duties to Jordan Cox. The score included one six and nine fours, marking his highest Test score in 14 months since scoring 88 against India at the same venue.

Robinson himself reached a half-century, including a massive six into the Hollies Stand off Mohammad Abbas, before becoming Razaullah’s fourth victim. The debut of 21-year-old Razaullah, who had played only eight first-class games prior to his call-up, stood out as one of Pakistan’s few positives. Despite conceding 148 runs from 23 overs, his pace and aggression posed a threat.

While Razaullah may signal a brighter future for Pakistan, the present remains bleak for a team that has lost 15 of its last 20 Tests.