Pakistan need a major response at Lord’s after their heavy Headingley defeat, while England can move within reach of a series victory with another win.

LONDON: Pakistan head into the second Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday with their three-match series on the line after a crushing defeat at Headingley exposed serious weaknesses in their batting, bowling and fielding.

England dismantled Pakistan inside two days of effective cricket at Leeds, winning the opening Test by an innings and 103 runs to take a 1-0 lead. Another victory at the Home of Cricket would put England firmly in control and leave Pakistan needing a dramatic turnaround to keep the series alive.

Yet Lord’s offers Pakistan a reason for optimism.

England have not beaten Pakistan at the venue since 2010, when Andrew Strauss’ side secured an innings-and-225-run victory. Pakistan subsequently won at Lord’s in 2016 and 2018, giving them a strong recent record against England at the historic ground.

Pakistan’s broader record in England, however, remains a concern. They have not won a Test series in the country since 1996.

Pakistan’s batting under pressure

The biggest concern for Pakistan is their batting.

Their top order failed to withstand England’s seam attack at Headingley, while the side managed only one partnership of more than 50 runs throughout the match.

The absence of Babar Azam, who missed the first Test with a finger injury, further weakened an already fragile batting line-up. Babar is expected to return for the Lord’s Test, potentially providing Pakistan with the stability and experience they badly lacked in Leeds.

Saud Shakeel, captain Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan will also be under pressure to deliver after failing to make significant contributions in the opening Test.

Pakistan have repeatedly struggled to convert promising starts into substantial innings, with batting collapses becoming a recurring feature of their Test performances.

Bowling attack needs greater penetration

Pakistan’s pace attack also struggled to maintain pressure against England’s batsmen.

A lack of sustained pace and penetration allowed England’s top order to settle and attack, while the hosts’ seamers extracted considerably more from the conditions.

Ali Usman was one of the few positives for Pakistan, claiming a five-wicket haul, while Khurram Shahzad contributed three wickets.

Pakistan will need significantly greater discipline and intensity if they are to prevent England from dictating the game again.

Fielding and tactical decision-making were additional areas of concern at Headingley, with missed opportunities and ineffective execution allowing England to maintain control.

England arrive with renewed confidence

England enter the second Test with considerable momentum after their emphatic victory in Leeds.

Their batting combines aggressive intent with experience, led by Harry Brook and Joe Root.

Brook has been particularly dominant against Pakistan, averaging 84.72 in 11 Test innings against them with four centuries, including a triple-century in Multan in 2024.

He played another important innings at Headingley, while Dan Lawrence contributed a half-century during England’s dominant performance.

Root, now back as England’s Test captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement, also underlined his importance with a composed 66 in the opening Test.

Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith add further depth to an England middle order that proved capable of absorbing pressure while maintaining an attacking approach.

Seam attack gives England the edge

England’s biggest advantage could once again be their pace attack.

Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue claimed five-wicket hauls in the first Test, while Gus Atkinson and Jofra Archer added further quality and pace.

The four seamers collectively took all 20 Pakistan wickets at Headingley, meaning England did not need to rely on their spin options.

Brydon Carse will miss the second Test while an ECB investigation into an incident in Derby is ongoing, with Sonny Baker added to the squad as his replacement.

Despite that change, England retain a formidable pace unit capable of exploiting any uncertainty in Pakistan’s batting.

Lord’s presents contrasting challenges

England’s victory at Headingley was only their third Test win in their last 11 matches, while they have not won a home Test series since December 2024.

However, their performance against Pakistan suggested they may finally be finding momentum.

For England, a victory at Lord’s would put them within touching distance of a series triumph and strengthen confidence in the team’s post-Bazball era.

For Pakistan, the equation is straightforward: they need to win.

A victory would level the series and restore some belief after their heavy defeat in Leeds. Another loss, however, would leave Pakistan facing a series defeat before the final Test at Edgbaston.

What to expect at Lord’s

England are likely to retain the aggressive, seam-heavy approach that proved so effective in the opening Test.

Pakistan, meanwhile, need improvements across almost every department, particularly batting discipline, shot selection, bowling pressure and fielding.

Babar Azam’s expected return could provide a much-needed boost, but Pakistan will need a collective improvement rather than relying on one player.

At the Home of Cricket, England have the momentum, confidence and bowling attack. Pakistan have history on their side — but they must produce a far stronger performance if that history is to matter.

England vs Pakistan Test series schedule

•First Test: August 19-23, Headingley — England won by an innings and 103 runs

•Second Test: August 27-31, Lord’s

•Third Test: September 9-13, Edgbaston