Pakistan Bowled Out for 133 as England Take Control at Edgbaston

Pakistan were bowled out for 133 in 33.5 overs on the opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston, before England recovered from a shaky start to close on 156 for four and take a first-innings lead of 23.

It was Pakistan's fifth consecutive total below 200 in a series England have already won.

Wickets From the Start

Joe Root won the toss and chose to bowl, a decision vindicated within the opening hour. England's seamers found movement and worked through a reshaped Pakistan line-up containing three debutants.

Jofra Archer removed Shan Masood for 5 to leave the visitors 26 for four inside ten overs. Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel briefly steadied things with a stand of 22 before Josh Tongue dismissed Azam in the 15th over.

Tongue then removed debutant wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori for 4 and Mohammad Imran Randhawa for 5, leaving Pakistan 100 for seven at lunch.

Ollie Robinson struck in the first over after the interval to dismiss Razaullah for 11. Tongue then ended the innings' only meaningful resistance when he removed Shakeel for 43 from 47 balls, before Archer wrapped things up by dismissing Mohammad Abbas.

Tongue finished with figure of 4/42. Robinson and Archer took three apiece, continuing the pattern of a series in which England's pace attack has repeatedly exposed technical weaknesses in the Pakistan batting.

England Wobble Then Recover

England's reply did not begin smoothly. They slipped to 39 for three, with Ben Duckett, Jordan Cox and captain Joe Root combining for just 23 total runs. Fortunately for the home side, Emilio Gay and Harry Brook rebuilt. They put on a 104-run partnership to put the hosts back in the box seat, and while Gay was dismissed for 60 in the final hour of the day’s play, those two helped guide the innings to 156 for four by stumps and establishing a lead with six wickets in hand.

Turmoil Off the Field

The collapse mirrored the disruption around the touring party. Pakistan arrived in Birmingham having released seven players in the days after the 194-run defeat at Lord's, along with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul.

Mike Hesson, who had been in charge of the white-ball side, was handed the red-ball role at short notice and has made clear he was not involved in the decisions. The Pakistan Cricket Board has also confirmed it is investigating player conduct during the tour.

Ghori was one of three debutants brought into the side as part of the reshuffle. The 23-year-old faced an immediate examination against an attack that has dominated throughout the series.

Pakistan's overall win-loss ratio in Tests has fallen below 1.00 for the first time in almost 40 years.

Series Already Decided

England lead 2-0 after an innings-and-103-run victory at Headingley and the win at Lord's, and are chasing a clean sweep. Babar Azam is captaining the side in Birmingham.

The match is part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, with England having taken 12 points from each of the first two Tests and Pakistan yet to register any.

Play continues on Thursday.