The mood inside Pakistan’s dressing room on the first afternoon of the third Test at Edgbaston was as bleak as the sky at lunch, and the visitors’ prospects looked increasingly remote after a disastrous innings.
Pakistan slumped to 133 all out after just 33.5 overs, despite a series of controversial changes intended to revive the team.
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja said the side’s “technique and mindset” were “pretty ordinary” and described a dressing room affected by “mental fatigue and turmoil”.
“They have not been proactive at all,” Raja told Test Match Special. “They have to have a plan. This is a flat pitch. It is not a demon-like pitch, like the third day at Lord’s.”
In Pakistan’s defence, CricViz rated the surface’s bounce inconsistency at 5.7, higher than at Edgbaston in 2025, when it was 2.6 against India, in 2024 at 3.2 against the West Indies, and in 2023 at 3.3 against Australia.
England’s four-man seam attack also performed brilliantly after Joe Root won the toss under autumnal conditions.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said Pakistan were “clearly shot for confidence” after the disastrous morning.
“I feel for Pakistan because this is embarrassing with everything they’ve had to cope with in the last week,” he said.
Pakistan’s top five were all dismissed for single figures as the Thwaite Memorial scoreboard reached just 48.
It was the 12th time a team’s top five have all been out for single figures in a Test match, but the first time it has occurred in a first innings.
Pakistan are also approaching another record. No team has started an innings worse than theirs during a series in England.
The second wicket has fallen for 6 and 13 at Leeds, 16 and 7 at Lord’s, and 14 on Wednesday. That is 56 runs for the first two wickets, an average partnership of 5.6 and 11.2 for the fall of the second wicket across the series.
Pakistan are set to break the record held by Australia in 1888, who averaged just 16 for the fall of their second wicket in that series.
There is some context for the collapse. Opener Saim Ayub, one of the players recalled for this Test, had played his first first-class match since October 2025.
Against Ollie Robinson in these conditions, his dismissal appeared inevitable from the moment the opener marked his guard.
There were also moments of undisciplined strokeplay. With four wickets down, Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam were extravagantly flashing at balls outside off stump, despite both being experienced players in their thirties.
Pakistan’s false-shot percentage during the morning session was 40%, the second highest in an opening session of a Test since 2006.
Shakeel survived until lunch, while Babar was dismissed 40 minutes before the interval, gesticulating at the pitch.
“He [Babar] disintegrated. It’s tough for him,” Raja added. “He has to explain all this mayhem, and then he has to look after himself, and then he has to work with players who are more T20 in nature than Test cricket.”
Only two teams in a three-match series have been bowled out six times for under 200, and both achieved the feat in the 19th century: Australia in 1888 and South Africa in 1895-96.
Pakistan will need to show greater resolve when they bat again if they are to avoid joining them.
