Pakistan Turn the Tables at Lord’s as England Collapse to 248/9 on Rain-Hit Day 1
Pakistan Strike Back Hard at Lord’s
Pakistan have delivered exactly the kind of response they needed in the second Test against England.
After suffering a heavy defeat in the opening Test, Pakistan entered the second match under enormous pressure. The response on the opening day at Lord’s was aggressive, disciplined and, most importantly, effective.
England finished Day 1 on 248/9 from only 56 overs, with Pakistan's bowlers repeatedly breaking through whenever the hosts appeared ready to take control.
The biggest headline belongs to Mohammad Abbas, whose superb spell produced four wickets for 56 runs. Mohammad Ali also made a major contribution with three wickets, while Khurram Shahzad claimed the crucial wicket of Jordan Cox.
The weather, however, played a huge role. Rain delayed the start and bad light eventually ended the day approximately an hour earlier than scheduled. Only 56 overs were possible, leaving Pakistan with an excellent opportunity to finish England off early on Day 2.
At stumps, Gus Atkinson was unbeaten on 34, while Josh Tongue had one run.
Pakistan may not have taken all ten wickets, but make no mistake: 248/9 after England chose to bat is a commanding position for the visitors.
🌧️ Rain Delays the Start, but Pakistan Waste No Time
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and made the decision to bowl first.
It was a bold but logical call at Lord’s, particularly with conditions offering assistance to the seamers. Pakistan needed early wickets, and their bowlers immediately justified the captain's decision.
The opening session was interrupted by rain, but once play began, Pakistan attacked England's top order with disciplined seam bowling.
England's opening combination of Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay managed only 21 runs before Abbas produced the first breakthrough.
Gay was caught behind for 8, giving Abbas the early reward Pakistan desperately wanted.
Just a couple of overs later, Abbas struck again.
This time it was Duckett who departed, trapped lbw after scoring 17 from 20 balls. England suddenly found themselves 26/2, and Pakistan were completely on top.
The pressure was enormous.
🔥 Mohammad Abbas Produces a Masterclass
The standout performer of the day was undoubtedly Mohammad Abbas.
The experienced seamer demonstrated why control, movement and patience can be devastating in Test cricket.
Rather than trying to manufacture wickets with every delivery, Abbas repeatedly attacked the right areas. His accuracy forced England's batters to play under pressure, and the rewards followed.
After removing Gay and Duckett, Abbas produced perhaps his most important dismissal of the morning when England captain Joe Root fell for just 4.
Root's dismissal left England at 36/3.
For Pakistan, this was a dream start.
Root is normally one of England's biggest sources of stability in Test cricket, and removing him cheaply placed enormous pressure on the middle order.
Abbas eventually completed his four-wicket haul by dismissing Jofra Archer late in the day.
His figures of 4/56 from 15 overs tell only part of the story. His biggest contribution was the constant pressure he created.
⚡ Mohammad Ali Joins the Destruction
If Abbas controlled the innings, Mohammad Ali provided the second major punch.
Ali removed Harry Brook for 15, ending a promising partnership with Jordan Cox.
Later, when England were attempting to rebuild through their middle and lower order, Ali returned to produce a devastating double strike.
First, he dismissed Jamie Smith for a superb 61 from 80 balls.
Then, only moments later, he bowled Ollie Robinson for a duck.
England went from 187/6 to 222/8 in a remarkably short period.
That sequence demonstrated why Pakistan's bowling performance was so impressive. England were not simply losing wickets at regular intervals. They were losing wickets in clusters whenever Pakistan sensed an opportunity.
Ali finished with 3/67 from 17 overs.
💥 Jordan Cox Fights Back Before a Sensational Catch Ends His Stay
England desperately needed someone to resist Pakistan's attack, and Jordan Cox provided that resistance.
Cox scored 55 from 105 balls, striking seven boundaries and becoming one of England's most important contributors.
He initially survived the collapse around him and built useful partnerships with Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence and Jamie Smith.
His partnership with Smith was particularly important.
The pair helped England recover from 120/5 and move towards a much healthier position. By tea, England had reached 180/5, with Cox unbeaten on 55 and Smith on 44.
But Pakistan refused to let the partnership dominate the final session.
Khurram Shahzad eventually removed Cox, with substitute fielder Salman Ali Agha producing a sensational one-handed catch at second slip.
That dismissal was a major turning point.
Cox had spent more than 100 deliveries at the crease and looked capable of pushing England towards 300-plus. His departure opened the door for Pakistan to attack the lower order.
🧤 Jamie Smith's Counterattack Keeps England Alive
Jamie Smith deserves considerable credit for England.
The wicketkeeper-batter played one of the more aggressive innings of the day, scoring 61 from 80 deliveries with 10 boundaries.
At a time when England were struggling to maintain control, Smith counterattacked.
His aggressive strokeplay prevented Pakistan from completely suffocating England's scoring rate. He also formed an important sixth-wicket partnership with Cox.
However, Smith eventually fell to Mohammad Ali.
His dismissal was immediately followed by Robinson's duck, and suddenly England were eight wickets down.
That was the moment Pakistan looked capable of wrapping up the innings before the close.
📊 England 248/9: What the Score Really Means
At first glance, 248 runs may look competitive.
But the context makes the score much more favourable for Pakistan.
England had only 56 overs available because of rain and bad light. They also lost their top four relatively cheaply.
The hosts were 36/3, then later 77/4, before finally reaching 120/5.
That means most of England's runs came from the middle and lower order rather than a dominant top-order performance.
Cox scored 55.
Smith scored 61.
Atkinson was unbeaten on 34.
Those contributions prevented a complete collapse, but England still have only one wicket remaining.
For Pakistan, the immediate objective on Day 2 is simple: remove Atkinson and Tongue quickly and then produce a substantial first-innings total.
If Pakistan can reach 350 or more, the pressure will move firmly onto England.
🧠 Cricketory Insight: Pakistan's Bowling Finally Looks Like a Unit
One of the most encouraging aspects of Pakistan's performance was the way the bowling attack operated collectively.
Too often, Pakistan's Test performances have depended heavily on one individual producing something extraordinary.
At Lord's, Abbas led the attack, but Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad contributed at important moments.
The bowling plans also appeared clearer.
Abbas concentrated on relentless accuracy.
Ali attacked with wicket-taking deliveries.
Shahzad provided the breakthrough against Cox.
That combination made life extremely difficult for England.
The most important difference was Pakistan's ability to keep attacking after taking wickets.
When Root departed, Pakistan did not relax.
When Brook fell, they kept pushing.
When Cox and Smith established a partnership, Pakistan continued searching for another opening.
That mentality is exactly what Pakistan needed after the disappointment of the first Test.
🎯 Babar Azam's Toss Decision Has Already Paid Off
Babar Azam returned to the Test side and immediately made an important captaincy decision by choosing to bowl.
With Lord's conditions favouring seam movement early on, the decision made tactical sense.
The scoreboard now strongly supports Babar's call.
Pakistan have reduced England to 248/9, and the hosts will begin Day 2 under pressure.
The bigger question is what Babar can do with the bat.
His return is one of the major storylines of this Test, particularly after Pakistan's disappointing performance in the opening match.
If Babar can produce a significant score, Pakistan could transform an excellent bowling day into a genuinely dominant Test position.
🏟️ Lord's Conditions Make Day 2 Fascinating
Lord's has already produced a fascinating first day, but the match is nowhere near decided.
The weather could continue influencing the contest.
Rain reduced the first day's cricket considerably, while bad light ended play early.
That creates an unusual situation.
England are one wicket away from being dismissed, but Pakistan also have fewer overs available than they would have expected at the beginning of the match.
Every session now becomes valuable.
If England can add another 20 or 30 runs through Atkinson and Tongue, they will be happier.
If Pakistan remove both quickly, their bowlers will walk away believing they have done almost everything perfectly.
The next major battle will be Pakistan's batting against England's attack.
📈 Pakistan's Road to a First-Innings Lead
Pakistan should now be thinking beyond simply dismissing England.
The real objective is to build a commanding first-innings lead.
England's 248/9 gives Pakistan an excellent platform.
A score around 350 would give Pakistan a lead of more than 100.
A score approaching 400 would put England under serious pressure.
That makes the first innings of Babar Azam, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel particularly important.
Pakistan cannot afford a reckless batting collapse after doing the hard work with the ball.
The visitors need to be patient.
They have already won the first major battle.
Now they need to dominate the next one.
🔥 Mohammad Abbas Could Become the Story of the Test
If Pakistan eventually win this Test, Abbas's opening spell will be remembered as one of the defining moments.
His four wickets completely disrupted England's batting plans.
More importantly, he dismissed three of England's crucial top-order batters: Gay, Duckett and Root.
That is elite Test bowling impact.
Abbas did not need extravagant pace.
He relied on precision, movement and relentless pressure.
On a surface like Lord's, that can be more dangerous than raw speed.
His performance also gives Pakistan confidence that they have a bowler capable of controlling long spells while constantly threatening wickets.
🏏 What Pakistan Must Do on Day 2
Pakistan's strategy should be straightforward.
First, remove Atkinson and Tongue as quickly as possible.
Second, avoid allowing England's tail to add unnecessary runs.
Third, make the new ball count when Pakistan begin their own innings.
And finally, build partnerships.
The worst possible outcome for Pakistan would be to dismiss England for around 260 and then collapse cheaply themselves.
The best outcome would be to turn the advantage into a huge first-innings lead.
The match is now Pakistan's to control, but Test cricket punishes teams that become complacent.
📌 Key Performers from Day 1
Mohammad Abbas was Pakistan's outstanding bowler with 4/56, while Mohammad Ali produced an excellent supporting performance with 3/67.
For England, Jamie Smith's 61 was the highest individual score, followed by Jordan Cox's 55.
Gus Atkinson's unbeaten 34 has kept England alive, while Josh Tongue remains unbeaten on 1.
But the most significant statistic is the one on the scoreboard:
England 248/9 after 56 overs.
Pakistan have firmly seized control of the opening day.
❓ FAQs: Pakistan vs England 2nd Test Day 1
What was England's score at the end of Day 1?
England finished the opening day at 248/9 after 56 overs at Lord's.
Who was Pakistan's best bowler?
Mohammad Abbas was Pakistan's leading wicket-taker, finishing Day 1 with 4 wickets for 56 runs from 15 overs.
How many wickets did Mohammad Ali take?
Mohammad Ali claimed three wickets for 67 runs. His late double strike against Jamie Smith and Ollie Robinson was particularly important.
Who scored the most runs for England?
Jamie Smith was England's top scorer with 61 runs from 80 balls, including 10 boundaries. Jordan Cox also made an important 55.
Why were only 56 overs bowled?
The opening day was disrupted by intermittent rain, which delayed the start, while bad light eventually forced an early close.
Did Pakistan make the right decision by bowling first?
Based on the first day's result, absolutely. Pakistan's bowlers reduced England to 248/9, meaning Babar Azam's decision has already produced significant rewards.
What does Pakistan need to do next?
Pakistan need to take England's final wicket quickly and then build a substantial first-innings total. A sizeable lead could put them in an excellent position to level the series.
Can England still fight back?
Definitely. England have one wicket remaining, and their bowlers will have an opportunity to attack Pakistan's batting. The match remains open, but Pakistan clearly have the advantage after Day 1.
🏆 Final Cricketory Verdict
This was the Pakistan performance their supporters had been waiting for.
After a disappointing opening Test, the visitors arrived at Lord's with pressure surrounding the team, and Babar Azam responded by putting the ball in his bowlers' hands.
They rewarded him.
Mohammad Abbas was outstanding. Mohammad Ali was aggressive. Khurram Shahzad produced a crucial breakthrough. The fielders backed their bowlers, including Salman Ali Agha's superb catch to dismiss Jordan Cox.
England fought through Cox and Jamie Smith, but Pakistan repeatedly refused to surrender the advantage.
The result is a fascinating position at the end of Day 1:
England 248/9. Pakistan firmly on top. One wicket away from completing the job.
The bigger challenge begins after that.
Pakistan now have to prove that their bowling dominance was not a one-day flash of brilliance. They need their batting lineup to take advantage of the platform their bowlers have created.
If they do, this second Test could become a dramatic turnaround in the series.
For now, though, there is no question about who won the opening battle at Lord's.
Pakistan did — and Mohammad Abbas led the charge.