LONDON: Ollie Robinson led the way once more as England clinched a series win over Pakistan with a thumping 194-run win in the second Test at Lord’s on Sunday despite Saud Shakeel’s fine 97.
Pakistan were dismissed for 194, having been set an improbable victory target of 389, to give England an unbeatable 2-0 lead in a three-match series.
This was England’s first multi-match Test series win since a 2-1 success in New Zealand more than a year ago.
Robinson finished with figures of 4-24 in 14 overs following his sensational 4-11 in 13 during Pakistan’s meagre first-innings 110 all out.
The Sussex seamer produced a pair of double strikes Sunday either side of Saud and Shan Masood checking England’s progress with a fourth-wicket partnership of 97.
Robinson took two wickets in four balls to leave the tourists 7-2, before express quick Jofra Archer dismissed Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
But from the dire position of 14-3 before lunch, Saud and fellow left-hander Shan kept England at bay.
Robinson, however, had Shan lbw from around the wicket for a gritty 26 off 72 balls, although it needed a review to reverse umpire Allahuddien Paleker’s original not out decision.
And 111-4 became 115-5 when Mohammad Rizwan was lbw to Robinson carelessly slogging across the line.
Saud, 78 not out at tea, went to 86 by hooking Tongue for six and, two balls later, another superb hook off another fast bowler saw him into the 90s.
Saud pulled the fifth ball of the over to go to 96 only to hole out soon afterwards when he swung Tongue straight to Harry Brook at deep square leg.
A crestfallen Saud received a standing ovation from MCC members in the pavilion as he walked back in after the end of a 122-ball innings also featuring 13 fours.
Pakistan were now 169-7, although they were effectively eight wickets down with Imam-ul-Haq still sidelined by the calf problem meaning he was unable to bat in Pakistan’s first innings.
Tongue then cemented his reputation for polishing off the tail by bowling Khurram Shahzad before ending the match when he had Mohammad Ali caught in the slips by Brook.
Pakistan had looked to Shan and Azan Awais to see off the new ball on a still seam-friendly pitch.
Azan, however, was lbw to Robinson and, three balls later, Abdullah Shafique was bowled for a duck by a superb delivery from the paceman that angled in and moved away late to hit off stump.
Archer’s brute of a bouncer then had Babar in a horrible flap, with the ball looping to Jordan Cox at second slip.
ABBAS ON HONOURS BOARD AT LAST
Earlier, Mohammad Abbas finally achieved a coveted place on the Lord’s honours boards with a return of 5-57 as England were dismissed for 208.
Cricketers who take at least five wickets in an innings or 10 in a match or score a century in a Test at Lord’s have their feats recorded on one of the honours boards in the home and away dressing rooms at the ‘Home of Cricket’.
Abbas, 36, had come close before with a trio of four-wicket hauls, including his 4-73 in England’s first-innings 290 of this match.
But he went one better Sunday after starting the day with 3-48.
Dan Lawrence had added just four runs to his overnight 50 not out when he was bowled by Abbas before the veteran seamer had Robinson edging to wicket-keeper Rizwan, who held a fine catch standing up to the stumps.
An elated Abbas was mobbed by his team-mates before kissing the turf in celebration.
Scoreboard
ENGLAND (1st Innings) 290 (J. Smith 61, J. Cox 55; Mohammad Abbas 4-73, Mohammad Ali 3-86)
PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 110 (Azan Awais 46; O. Robinson 4-11, J. Archer 3-26)
ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 177-7):
B. Duckett c Babar b Khurram 1
E. Gay lbw b Abbas 31
J. Cox lbw b Khurram 11
J. Root lbw b Ali 24
H. Brook c Rizwan b Abbas 34
D. Lawrence b Abbas 54
J. Smith c Shan b Abbas 7
G. Atkinson lbw b Ali 7
O. Robinson c Rizwan b Abbas 8
J. Archer not out 2
J. Tongue run out 12
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, NB-4, W-5) 17
TOTAL (all out, 54.2 overs) 208
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Duckett), 2-13 (Cox), 3-60 (Root), 4-83 (Gay), 5-128 (Brook), 6-149 (Smith), 7-162 (Atkinson), 8-186 (Lawrence), 9-187 (Robinson)
BOWLING: Abbas 22-3-57-5, Khurram 14-3-56-2 (1nb), Ali 16.2-1-70-2 (1w, 3nb), Usman 2-0-17-0
PAKISTAN (2nd Innings):
Shan Masood lbw b Robinson 26
Azan Awais lbw b Robinson 6
Abdullah Shafique b Robinson 0
Babar Azam c Cox b Archer 6
Saud Shakeel c Brook b Tongue 97
Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Robinson 1
Ali Usman b Archer 16
Khurram Shahzad b Tongue 9
Mohammad Abbas not out 13
Mohammad Ali c Brook b Tongue 8
Imam-ul-Haq absent hurt
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-6, NB-1, W-1) 12
TOTAL (for nine wickets, 50.5 overs) 194
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Azan), 2-7 (Abdullah), 3-14 (Babar), 4-111 (Shan), 5-115 (Rizwan), 6-146 (Usman), 7-169 (Saud), 8-176 (Khurram), 9-194 (Ali)
BOWLING: Robinson 14-5-24-4, Archer 15-1-73-2 (1w, 1nb), Tongue 8.5-1-46-3, Atkinson 11-2-41-0, Lawrence 2-2-0-0
RESULT: England won by 194 runs.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ollie Robinson
Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026
