England took a commanding position on the opening day of the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston, continuing their dominant form to push toward a series clean sweep. Pakistan were dismissed for 133 in their first innings, while England reached 156 for four, leading by 23 runs.

The day’s play unfolded amid significant upheaval within the Pakistan camp, which had recently sent seven players home, called up replacements, and made a coaching change. Despite these disruptions, the result was reminiscent of the first two Tests, with Pakistan again struggling to establish a solid batting foundation.

England captain Joe Root won the toss and opted to field, citing the overcast conditions despite a pitch that was considered suitable for batting. The decision paid dividends as England’s pace attack excelled, dismissing Pakistan’s top order cheaply. Notably, none of Pakistan’s first five batsmen reached double figures, with Saud Shakeel providing the lone resistance by scoring 43 runs. Lower-order batsmen Muhammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali contributed a resilient last-wicket partnership of 26 runs over 46 balls, the highest stand for Pakistan in the innings.

Josh Tongue led the England bowling effort, taking 4 wickets for 42 runs. Ollie Robinson passed the milestone of 100 Test wickets, claiming 3 for 15, while Jofra Archer completed the innings with three wickets. Pakistan’s batting failures marked the fifth consecutive innings without reaching 200 runs.

In reply, England suffered a setback when debutant fast bowler Razaullah trapped Joe Root leg before wicket, leaving the hosts at 39 for three. However, Emilio Gay and Harry Brook stabilized the innings with a 104-run partnership. Gay scored a gritty 60 before being dismissed, while Brook remained unbeaten on 52 at stumps.

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja commented on Pakistan’s overall approach, describing their technique and mindset as “pretty ordinary,” and highlighting mental fatigue and turmoil as factors behind their poor performance. He criticized the team’s lack of a proactive plan, especially given the relatively benign nature of the pitch.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed sympathy for Pakistan, acknowledging the difficulties they faced in recent days. He characterized their performance as indicative of low confidence following a challenging week.

At stumps, England held a slender lead with four wickets down in their first innings, putting them well on course to complete a 3-0 series sweep at Edgbaston.