Babar Is Back! Can Pakistan Beat England at Lord’s and Level the Test Series?
The wait at Lord’s has grown longer as the toss for the second Test between England and Pakistan was delayed on Thursday, leaving both teams waiting for the next major chapter of this three-match series.
For Pakistan, this is far more than another Test match. After suffering a crushing innings-and-103-run defeat in the opening Test at Headingley, the visitors desperately need a response. Their biggest boost comes in the form of Babar Azam’s return, with the Pakistan captain back in the squad after missing the first Test because of a finger injury.
England, meanwhile, arrive at Lord’s with momentum, confidence and a significant psychological advantage. Their dominant performance in Leeds exposed serious weaknesses in Pakistan’s batting, and the home side now have an opportunity to take a 2-0 lead and wrap up the series with a match to spare.
But there is one major reason Pakistan should not be written off.
Lord’s has been a much kinder venue for Pakistan than Headingley.
And history could suddenly become very relevant.
🏏 Toss Delayed at Lord’s as Both Teams Wait
The delayed toss has temporarily postponed the start of the second Test, but the bigger questions are already dominating the build-up.
Will Babar Azam immediately return to the Pakistan playing XI?
Can Pakistan's batting withstand another sustained English bowling assault?
Will England's aggressive approach continue to overwhelm the visitors?
And perhaps most importantly, can Pakistan use their excellent recent record in London to completely change the momentum of the series?
The first Test suggested England were significantly ahead. The second Test gives Pakistan an opportunity to prove that the gap is not as large as the Headingley scoreline indicated.
🔥 Babar Azam's Return Changes Pakistan's Batting Equation
The most significant development for Pakistan is undoubtedly the return of Babar Azam.
Babar missed the opening Test after suffering a bruised hand during Pakistan's practice match. His absence was immediately felt as Pakistan struggled to produce the kind of batting resistance required against England's attack.
Now he is back.
That does not automatically guarantee a Pakistan victory, but it changes the complexion of the batting order.
Babar brings experience, quality and the ability to absorb pressure. More importantly, his presence gives Pakistan another batter capable of playing a long innings.
Pakistan cannot afford another collapse at Lord’s.
They need someone to stay at the crease while England's bowlers attack aggressively. If Babar can survive the opening examination and build a substantial partnership, Pakistan's confidence could rise quickly.
His return also puts additional pressure on the rest of the batting group. Players such as Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel must contribute rather than expecting Babar to rescue the innings.
This cannot become another situation where one player is expected to solve every problem.
⚔️ England Have Every Reason to Feel Confident
England's position is considerably stronger.
The home side destroyed Pakistan's resistance in the first Test, winning by an innings and 103 runs. It was a statement performance and demonstrated how effectively England could exploit Pakistan's weaknesses.
England's batting also showed the depth required to put Pakistan under enormous pressure.
Joe Root, Harry Brook and the rest of the batting unit have the ability to turn good starts into match-defining totals. England's bowling attack then has the opportunity to attack from a position of strength.
The biggest danger for Pakistan is allowing England to establish another dominant first innings.
If England score heavily, Pakistan could once again spend the majority of the match trying to survive rather than dictate terms.
That is exactly what Pakistan must avoid.
🏟️ Lord’s Gives Pakistan a Psychological Advantage
The venue is one of the most fascinating aspects of this contest.
Pakistan have enjoyed an impressive record in London against England in recent years. They won at Lord’s in 2016 and again in 2018, while also defeating England at The Oval in 2016.
That record does not guarantee anything in 2026.
Cricket does not work that way.
However, players and teams often draw confidence from venue-specific history. Pakistan know they have previously succeeded in London, and that can help them enter the match with a stronger belief than they might otherwise have after such a heavy defeat.
England, on the other hand, will be determined to make sure history does not repeat itself.
The home side know that Pakistan's recent London record is one of the few statistical factors capable of giving the visitors genuine confidence.
📊 England vs Pakistan Test Head-to-Head
England and Pakistan have met 93 times in Test cricket.
England have won 31 of those matches, while Pakistan have recorded 23 victories. The remaining 39 Tests have ended in draws.
That history shows how competitive this fixture has traditionally been.
| Head-to-head | Matches |
|---|---|
| England | 31 wins |
| Pakistan | 23 wins |
| Draws | 39 |
| Total | 93 |
Yet historical numbers are only part of the story.
The current England side are operating with confidence, while Pakistan arrive after losing their last Test by an innings. That makes the second Test a fascinating clash between recent momentum and historical confidence.
🧠 Cricketory Insight: Pakistan's Biggest Problem Is Not Talent
From a Cricketory perspective, Pakistan's biggest issue is not a lack of individual ability.
The problem is collective batting discipline.
Pakistan have enough quality players to compete with England. But Test cricket punishes teams that lose wickets in clusters.
That was one of the major problems in the first Test.
A couple of early wickets can quickly become four or five when a batting order starts playing from a position of fear. Once that happens, the opposition controls the match.
Pakistan need a completely different mindset at Lord’s.
They do not need to attack every ball.
They do not need to match England's scoring tempo.
They need to stay in the game.
If Pakistan can survive England's new-ball attack and reach the first major partnership milestone without losing several wickets, the pressure can begin moving back toward England.
That is where Babar Azam's role becomes enormous.
🎯 Babar's First 30 Balls Could Be Crucial
One of the most important mini-battles of the entire Test could be Babar Azam against England's opening bowlers.
The first 20 to 30 deliveries will tell us plenty.
If Babar starts confidently, England's bowlers may have to change their plans. If he edges one early or gets trapped into playing at deliveries outside his preferred scoring areas, the pressure will immediately return to Pakistan.
Babar does not need to score at a breathtaking rate.
In these conditions, survival can be an attacking strategy.
A 70-run innings built over several hours could be more valuable to Pakistan than a fast 50 that ends the innings prematurely.
Pakistan need resistance first and acceleration later.
💥 England's Fast Bowlers Will Attack the Top Order
England's bowling unit will know exactly where Pakistan's weaknesses are.
The home side will likely attempt to make Pakistan's top order play as many deliveries as possible. Seam movement and disciplined lines can create uncertainty, particularly when batters are trying to protect their wickets.
Pakistan's opening pair must therefore make good decisions outside the off stump.
This sounds simple.
It is not.
The difference between a successful Test batter and an inconsistent one often comes down to the ability to leave the ball at the right moment.
Pakistan's batters cannot afford unnecessary drives away from the body.
England will be waiting for those mistakes.
🧱 Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique Have Huge Responsibility
Babar's return will dominate the headlines, but Pakistan cannot build their entire strategy around him.
Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique have important roles to play at the top of the order.
Their responsibility is straightforward: make England work.
If the openers can put together a solid partnership, they can remove the shine from the new ball and allow Babar and the middle order to enter under less pressure.
But another early collapse could make Babar's return almost irrelevant.
This is why Pakistan need contributions from everyone.
🌟 Saud Shakeel Could Be a Key Player
Saud Shakeel is another player who could become important during the second Test.
Against an attack capable of maintaining pressure for long periods, Pakistan need batters who are comfortable accumulating runs rather than constantly searching for boundaries.
Shakeel's ability to occupy the crease could be particularly valuable.
If Pakistan lose early wickets, he may be required to rebuild the innings alongside Babar.
A partnership between those two could potentially become the foundation Pakistan desperately need.
🇵🇰 Pakistan's Bowling Attack Must Also Improve
It would be a mistake to blame the Headingley defeat entirely on Pakistan's batting.
The bowlers also need to produce a much stronger performance.
England's batters cannot be allowed to dictate the tempo for extended periods.
Pakistan need wickets at regular intervals.
If England's top order settles in, Pakistan's chances of controlling the match will fall rapidly. The bowlers must therefore create pressure with disciplined lines, attacking fields and smart changes of pace.
Sajid Khan could also become an important tactical option depending on the surface and match conditions.
Pakistan need their bowling unit to complement the batting rather than constantly forcing the batters to recover from enormous deficits.
📈 England's Recent Form vs Pakistan's Struggle
The form guide tells its own story.
England have won two of their last five Tests, while Pakistan have won only one of their previous five.
England's recent victory over Pakistan makes the contrast even more obvious.
The home team have confidence.
Pakistan need to manufacture it.
That could begin with something as simple as winning a session.
If Pakistan win the opening session at Lord’s, suddenly the narrative changes.
If they reach lunch with only one wicket down, confidence rises.
If they take early England wickets, pressure increases on the hosts.
Test matches are built from these small shifts.
🏆 Can Pakistan Level the Series at Lord’s?
Absolutely.
But Pakistan need a near-complete performance.
They cannot afford to repeat the mistakes from Headingley and expect Babar Azam alone to solve everything.
The recipe is clear: survive the new ball, build partnerships, post a competitive first-innings total and make England's batters work for every run.
If Pakistan achieve those objectives, their Lord’s record suddenly becomes much more meaningful.
England remain favourites based on current form and the opening Test result, but Pakistan have enough experience and quality to make this contest dramatically different.
📋 England vs Pakistan Squads for the Second Test
England's squad includes Joe Root, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Sonny Baker, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue.
Pakistan's squad features Babar Azam, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azan Awais, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Sajid Khan, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali and Ubaid Shah.
The final XI will determine whether Pakistan select a balanced attack designed specifically for Lord’s conditions.
🔥 The Bigger Battle: England's Momentum vs Pakistan's History
This Test has all the ingredients of a fascinating contest.
England have momentum.
Pakistan have Babar Azam back.
England have the confidence of a huge first-Test victory.
Pakistan have a strong recent record in London.
England want to move 2-0 ahead.
Pakistan are fighting to keep the series alive.
That creates genuine pressure on both sides.
For England, the danger is complacency. A team that has dominated one Test can sometimes enter the next expecting the same pattern.
For Pakistan, the danger is desperation.
They cannot try to win the match in the first hour.
They need to play smart cricket.
🏁 Final Verdict
The delayed toss has only increased anticipation around the England vs Pakistan second Test at Lord’s.
England enter as the more confident side after their innings-and-103-run victory at Headingley. Their batting has looked stronger, their bowling has applied relentless pressure and their overall game has been more complete.
But Pakistan's situation is not hopeless.
Babar Azam's return gives the batting order a major boost, while Pakistan's recent success in London provides a psychological reminder that England are not unbeatable at this venue.
The key will be discipline.
Pakistan must bat with patience, bowl with purpose and field with intensity. If they can avoid another top-order collapse, Lord’s could produce an entirely different story from Headingley.
And that is why this second Test matters so much.
England are chasing a series-winning 2-0 lead.
Pakistan are fighting for survival.
One side wants to finish the job. The other wants to start the comeback.
At Lord’s, the pressure is now firmly on.
❓ FAQs: England vs Pakistan 2nd Test
When is the England vs Pakistan second Test?
The second Test of the three-match series is being played at Lord’s in London.
Why was the toss delayed?
The toss was delayed ahead of the scheduled start, meaning both teams had to wait before the playing conditions and final XIs could be confirmed.
Is Babar Azam returning for Pakistan?
Yes. Babar Azam is set to return after missing the first Test because of a finger injury.
Can Pakistan level the Test series?
Yes. Pakistan need to win the second Test to make the series 1-1 heading into the third and final match.
How many Tests have England and Pakistan played?
England and Pakistan have played 93 Tests against each other. England have won 31, Pakistan 23 and 39 have ended in draws.
What is Pakistan's recent record in London?
Pakistan have enjoyed a strong recent record in London, including Test victories over England at Lord’s in 2016 and 2018 and a win at The Oval in 2016.
Who is under the most pressure for Pakistan?
The entire batting group is under pressure, but Babar Azam's return makes him one of the central figures of the Test. Pakistan need significant contributions from their top and middle order rather than relying on one batter.
What does England need to do to win?
England need to repeat the disciplined cricket that produced their Headingley victory. Early wickets, sustained pressure on Pakistan's batting and another strong first-innings performance could put them in control again.