England moved closer to a series‑clinching victory on the fourth day of the second Test at Lord’s, reducing Pakistan to 140 for five in a chase of 389. Pakistan still need 249 more runs for an unlikely win, while England require five further wickets to finish the match.
Ollie Robinson was England’s most effective bowler, claiming the wickets of Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan to finish the day with eight Test wickets. His dismissal of Rizwan gave him his 99th Test wicket, leaving him one wicket away from 100. Jofra Archer also contributed, removing Babar Azam early in the innings.
Saud Shakeel anchored Pakistan’s resistance with an unbeaten 78 off 110 balls. The left‑hander survived a concussion check after a bouncer from Josh Tongue struck his helmet, then immediately struck the next delivery for four. His partnership with Masood added valuable runs before the pair were separated.
Earlier in England’s second innings, Dan Lawrence’s unbeaten 54 helped the hosts post 208, after which Mohammad Abbas took a five‑wicket haul. Abbas also dismissed Ollie Robinson for eight before England’s innings concluded.
With the highest successful fourth‑innings chase at Lord’s recorded at 344, Pakistan face a steep climb to pull off a historic escape. England, confident in their attack and the challenging conditions, appear poised to wrap up the match on the fourth day.
