news-engine

KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Mohammad Abbas (4/62) and Mohammad Ali reduced England to 248/9 in overcast conditions at Lord's. - Pakistan boast one of the best Asian records at the 'Home of Cricket', having secured five famous Test victories alongside four draws since 1982. - Babar Azam's side are aiming to bounce back from their Headingley defeat by preserving their strong multi-decade unbeaten record at Lord's. Pakistan record in Test matches at Lord's: Full stats & history as Babar Azam's side eye comeback win vs England Pakistan made the most of overcast skies and swinging conditions at Lord's on day one of the second Test as Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali ran through England's top order to leave the hosts wobbling at 248 for 9 by the close of play. Rain had other plans first, though. Play didn't get underway until 12.20 pm on Thursday, and once it did, things went from bad to worse for England pretty quickly. Pakistan won the toss, chose to bowl, and inside 10.3 overs, England had slumped to 36 for 3. It'd already been a rough week for England off the pitch, thanks to the ongoing saga around bowler Brydon Carse. Captain Joe Root's day didn't get any better either as Abbas had him back in the hut for just four. Ben Duckett (17) and Emilio Gay (8) followed soon after, both falling to the same bowler. Abbas finished with figures of 4 for 56, while Ali chipped in with 3 for 67. His in-swingers nipped back sharply to account for Harry Brook (15), Jamie Smith (61), and Ollie Robinson, who didn't even trouble the scorers. MORE: Five instances when a team refused to take the field in Test matches With Babar Azam back leading the side, Pakistan looked like a completely different unit compared to the innings-and-103-run hammering they took at Headingley last week. Still, not everything clicked as Mohammad Rizwan and his slip cordon kept standing way too deep behind the stumps, and it cost them several catchable chances. England found some rhythm once the weather cleared up a bit. Jordan Cox smashed back-to-back fifties, while Smith also brought up a much-needed half-century after a stretch of poor form with the bat. Despite the resistance, Pakistan are on top at the close of day one, and they will be hoping to better their record at this venue when the last English wicket falls in the second innings. MORE: Root's weakness exposed? Lord's dismissal vs PAK highlights concerning pattern What is Pakistan's Test record at Lord's? Pakistan's history at this ground stretches all the way back to 1954, and it's been a rollercoaster of draws, heavy defeats, and a handful of famous wins mixed in. Here's how things have played out across every Test they've featured in at Lord's. | Date | Result | Margin | Opposition | Ground | |---|---|---|---|---| | 10 Jun 1954 | Draw | - | v England | Lord's | | 21 Jun 1962 | Lost | 9 wickets | v England | Lord's | | 27 Jul 1967 | Draw | - | v England | Lord's | | 17 Jul 1971 | Draw | - | v England | Lord's | | 8 Aug 1974 | Draw | - | v England | Lord's | | 15 Jun 1978 | Lost | inns & 120 runs | v England | Lord's | | 12 Aug 1982 | Won | 10 wickets | v England | Lord's | | 18 Jun 1987 | Draw | - | v England | Lord's | | 18 Jun 1992 | Won | 2 wickets | v England | Lord's | | 25 Jul 1996 | Won | 164 runs | v England | Lord's | | 17 May 2001 | Lost | inns & 9 runs | v England | Lord's | | 13 Jul 2006 | Draw | - | v England | Lord's | | 13 Jul 2010 | Lost | 150 runs | v Australia | Lord's | | 26 Aug 2010 | Lost | inns & 225 runs | v England | Lord's | | 14 Jul 2016 | Won | 75 runs | v England | Lord's | | 24 May 2018 | Won | 9 wickets | v England | Lord's | | 27 Aug 2026 | - | - | v England | Lord's | MORE: Imran's sons' interview courts controversy: PCB complains with Sky Pakistan's Lord's turnaround is more than just numbers What's actually interesting here isn't just the wicket column; it's how Pakistan's found this form right after a hammering at Headingley. Bouncing back that hard, that fast, says something about the squad's mental resilience more than anything tactical. Abbas and Ali both bowled with real discipline, as they exploited overcast conditions. That said, the fielding lapses shouldn't get brushed aside. Standing too deep in the slips and grassing chances against a swinging ball is the kind of basic error that costs Test matches. Pakistan got away with it this time because their bowlers were simply too good, but that won't always be the case. England's recovery through Cox and Smith also matters here. It shows this pitch wasn't unplayable, just tough early on, which means Pakistan's bowling discipline, not just conditions, deserves most of the credit for that top-order collapse. Given Pakistan's mixed history at this ground, wins have always come in bursts rather than patterns; this performance could be the start of exactly that kind of stretch. Only if their fielding sharpens up fast. For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.