England overcomes early scare to win 3rd cricket test against Pakistan and sweep series
After sensational six-hitting by No. 9 batter Razaullah Khan had helped to force a fourth day, Pakistan bowler Mohammad Abbas gave England another scare on Saturday in the third cricket test by reducing the hosts to 2-2 in the first over
BIRMINGHAM, England -- After sensational six-hitting by No. 9 batter Razaullah Khan had helped to force a fourth day, Pakistan bowler Mohammad Abbas gave England another scare on Saturday in the third cricket test by reducing the hosts to 2-2 in the first over.
But captain Joe Root (62 not out) and Jordan Cox (59 not out) came to the hosts' rescue at Edgbaston as England successfully chased down a winning target of 130 runs.
England finished at 130-2 in 24.2 overs in a single session to win by eight wickets with a day to spare and sweep the series 3-0.
The third-day whipping was followed by a fourth-day horror start for England, which immediately lost Ben Duckett — caught behind to medium-pacer Abbas — and Emilio Gay on the last ball of the same over. Gay was trapped leg before wicket.
Root and Cox guided England to its first three-test whitewash since 2024 on the same ground against the West Indies.
Abbas, who overall took 9-130 in the second test, finished with 2-27 in eight overs.
Pakistan was dismissed in its second innings for 449 after its first innings scrounged 133 runs.
England opened with 453, a lead of 320 runs.
Panic button
Pakistan had been expected on Friday to follow the previous two tests in the series — including an innings defeat in Leeds — and be cleaned up during the third day by a usually rampant England pace attack against the lackluster visitors.
The Pakistan Cricket Board pressed the panic button a week ago and yanked home seven players and fired the head coach.
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