Root steers England to series sweep of Pakistan after early scare
SokaLive
12 Sep 2026, 12:08
England secured a commanding home series whitewash against Pakistan at Edgbaston, successfully chasing down a target of 130 on the fourth day of the third Test despite suffering a nervous top-order collapse. Veteran batsman Joe Root anchored the nervy run chase with characteristic composure, guiding his team past the finish line to cap off a dominant summer campaign in the traditional format. Root, who recently surpassed several major Test run-scoring milestones to cement his legacy among England's all-time greats, absorbed intense pressure during the morning session alongside his teammates to deflate Pakistanβs spirited bowling attack and seal the emphatic 3-0 series victory.
This historic triumph marks England's first-ever clean sweep over Pakistan in a home Test series, highlighting the aggressive tactical evolution instilled by captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Throughout the three-match encounter, English pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad wreaked havoc on opposing batters, utilizing swinging conditions brilliantly across iconic venues like Lord's and Headingley. Meanwhile, Pakistan struggled to find consistency in their batting lineup, with Babar Azam providing occasional resistance but ultimately lacking the sustained support needed to counter England's relentless seam and spin options on tricky fourth-day pitches.
With this morale-boosting series sweep safely in the bag, England turns its immediate attention toward the upcoming winter international calendar, which features challenging overseas assignments in the ICC World Test Championship. The selectors will look to build upon this winning momentum by nurturing emerging bowling talents while maintaining their aggressive brand of cricket abroad. For Pakistan, the disappointing tour initiates a period of intense internal review and restructuring ahead of their next red-ball fixtures, as team management seeks to address glaring technical vulnerabilities exposed by England's elite tactical execution.