Daijiworld Media Network - Birmingham
Birmingham, Sep 12: England completed their first-ever home Test series whitewash of Pakistan after beating the visitors by eight wickets in the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Saturday.
Chasing a target of 130, England were briefly put under pressure by Mohammad Abbas, who struck early. However, Joe Root (62) and Jordan Cox (59) combined for an unbeaten 128-run partnership to guide the hosts home and complete a 3-0 series sweep.
Pakistan finally showed some resistance with the bat in the second innings, scoring 449 after their previous totals in the series had all been below 200.
Debutant Razaullah was the standout performer for Pakistan with both bat and ball. After claiming four wickets in England’s first innings, he smashed 81 off just 63 balls in the second innings to give the visitors hopes of an unlikely victory.
Razaullah struck nine sixes, the most by a player on Test debut during an innings. Shan Masood (95), captain Babar Azam (76) and opener Azam Awais (59) also made important contributions as Pakistan mounted a strong fightback.
Abbas added 42 and shared a 120-run ninth-wicket partnership with Razaullah.
Pakistan’s second-innings revival came after Ollie Robinson dismissed Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique for ducks. Ayub also recorded a pair after being dismissed for nought in the first innings.
England were forced to work harder with the ball than at any other point in the series, with Gus Atkinson taking three wickets, while Robinson, Josh Tongue and Dan Lawrence claimed two wickets each.
England had opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Tongue, Jofra Archer and Robinson then dismantled the Pakistan batting line-up, sharing all 10 wickets.
Saud Shakeel top-scored with 43, while none of Pakistan’s other top-eight batters managed to reach double figures. Razaullah (11) and Abbas (21) provided some late resistance.
England responded strongly with the bat. Emilio Gay scored 60, while Harry Brook (75), Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Robinson (50) all contributed half-centuries but missed out on hundreds.
With 130 required for victory, Root and Cox completed the chase without further damage, with Root finishing the series in the same fashion in which he began it — with a half-century.
The victory sealed England’s historic 3-0 series win over Pakistan on home soil.