‘His best Test for a year’ – England-Pakistan player ratings
England secured a series victory over Pakistan for the first time since 2024, thrashing their opponents by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord's to seal the two-match series. BBC Sport's player ratings highlighted a dominant all-round performance, with several England bowlers and one batter earning standout marks while most of Pakistan's top order struggled badly on a difficult pitch.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith was rated the best of England's batters (8) after a first-innings 61 in tough conditions, while seamer Ollie Robinson was the standout performer overall (9), taking eight more wickets to bring his tally to 23 in three Tests since his recall at an average of 8.34. Jofra Archer also impressed (8) despite taking only three wickets in the first innings. For Pakistan, several senior players fared poorly, including captain Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq, who both scored just 2, though seamer Muhammad Abbas (8) and batter Saud Shakeel (7), who made a century, offered some resistance. The third and final Test takes place at Edgbaston.
In short
- England beat Pakistan by 194 runs to win the Test series
- Ollie Robinson rated top performer with 23 wickets in three Tests
- Jamie Smith praised for his best Test innings in a year
Explained simply
Test cricket is the longest form of international cricket, with each team batting twice in a match that can last up to five days. A two-match series is decided by which team wins the most Tests; a drawn match does not count as a win for either side.
England and Pakistan are long-standing international rivals, and their players meet in Tests as well as shorter forms of the game. England captain Ben Stokes leads the side, while Pakistan captain Babar Azam is one of its senior batters; performances from both teams’ batters and bowlers shape the result. A series win matters to each team’s record and standing, while individual form can affect players’ places in future matches.