England won the first Test in three days. Pakistan never competed. The heavy defeat at Headingley exposed every weakness this Pakistan touring side carries. Now Lord’s awaits. A different pitch. A different surface. And one enormous difference from Headingley that changes the entire complexion of this match. Pakistan’s actual captain is back.
Pakistan vs England 2nd Test Preview
| Match | England vs Pakistan, 2nd Test |
| Venue | Lord’s Cricket Ground, London |
| Date | August 27 to 31, 2026 |
| Start Time | 11:00 AM BST / 3:30 PM IST / 3:00 PM PKT |
| Series | England lead 1-0 |
| Test Number | Test No. 2634 |
What Happened at Headingley: Pakistan’s Nightmare
England won the first Test by an innings and 120 runs. Pakistan conceded a 238-run first-innings deficit. They were bowled out for 118 in the second innings. England completed the win inside three days.
Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shared eight wickets apiece across the match. Jofra Archer added three more in the second innings. Babar Azam was absent with a finger injury. Salman Agha led Pakistan as stand-in captain and admitted England had simply outplayed them completely. Abdullah Shafique’s 61 was Pakistan’s only innings of genuine resistance. Every other batter failed.
The Biggest News: Babar Azam Returns
Babar Azam missed the entire Headingley Test with a finger injury sustained during the practice match at Beckenham. He completed a full net session ahead of the Lord’s Test and is expected to return to the side.
Pakistan may wait until match day to officially confirm his place in the XI. But all available information points to his inclusion. If Babar is declared fit, Azan Awais is likely to make way for him in the XI. Babar batted with his hand strapped throughout the net session. That he got through a full session without complication is the most important development in Pakistan’s preparations.
His return matters beyond just the runs he scores. It matters for Saud Shakeel, who needs someone to build partnerships with in the middle order. It matters for Pakistan’s bowling plans, because Babar reads conditions and sets fields with a different instinct from Salman Agha. And it matters for Pakistan’s confidence. A defeated team fighting at Lord’s needs its best leader back.
The Carse Controversy: Sonny Baker Replaces England Pacer
England have made one squad change of their own. Brydon Carse has been dropped from the squad while an ECB investigation continues into an incident in Derby. The details of the investigation have not been publicly confirmed.
Sonny Baker replaces Carse in the squad. Baker made his Test debut against New Zealand earlier this summer. His inclusion gives England a fourth pace option, though he is unlikely to replace any of the first-choice trio of Robinson, Tongue, and Archer unless an injury forces a change. England’s first-choice bowling attack remains the strongest combination in world cricket in English conditions right now.
Pakistan’s Selection Changes for Lord’s
Pakistan are considering several changes after the Headingley defeat. Mohammad Rizwan could be rested. Ubaid Shah is likely to be preferred because of his pace advantage in English conditions. Two specialist spinners are being considered because the expected dry conditions at Lord’s suit spin more than Headingley’s seamer-friendly surface did.
Ali Usman bowled impressively at Headingley with five wickets and his slow left-arm spin could become increasingly important if the Lord’s surface deteriorates. Keeping him in the XI alongside Sajid Khan makes logical sense if the pitch wears as quickly as the Lord’s NZ Test surface did in June. Pakistan are also weighing whether to bring in Aamer Jamal for his lower-order batting depth alongside his bowling ability.
Pakistan Probable XI: Shan Masood, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Ali Usman, Sajid Khan, Ubaid Shah, Khurram Shahzad.
England Probable XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue.
Lord’s Pitch: A Surface With a Recent History
The Lord’s pitch carries a specific recent warning for both teams. The International Cricket Council rated the surface used for England vs New Zealand in June 2026 as “unsatisfactory” after it produced too much seam movement and uneven bounce. That match lasted only 165 overs with 33 wickets falling across the first two days.
The Pakistan Test will use a different strip. MCC confirmed they worked on the surface after the NZ match. But the evidence still points to significant assistance for pace bowlers. Lord’s in late August, with the slope and the ball swinging under overhead conditions, is one of the most challenging batting environments in world cricket. Pakistan’s batters know that better than most after their Headingley experience.
Weather Forecast for All 5 Days
Day 1 is the major concern. Rain on the opening day could significantly affect both sides’ planning.
| Day | Date | Rain Chance | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | August 27 | 65% | 24°C |
| Day 2 | August 28 | 35% | 23°C |
| Day 3 | August 29 | 35% | 20°C |
| Day 4 | August 30 | 20% | 22°C |
| Day 5 | August 31 | 35% | 22°C |
A 65% chance of rain on Day 1 is a genuine threat to the opening session. If the first day is heavily disrupted, a positive result for either side becomes more difficult to achieve. Days 4 and 5 both show better conditions. A match result is still possible but the weather is Pakistan’s unlikely ally on Day 1.
Head to Head and Series Context
England lead this three-match series 1-0. Another England win at Lord’s seals the series with Edgbaston to spare. A Pakistan win at Lord’s levels the series and forces a decider at Edgbaston on September 9.
England sit seventh in the WTC standings. Pakistan are below them. Both teams need WTC points and the broader context of what this series means for both nations’ Final qualification positions is explored in detail in our piece on the ICC World Test Championship 2025-2027 format and how it works. A Pakistan win at Lord’s would give them 12 crucial WTC points. Losing the series 2-0 leaves them with nothing from the two most difficult matches of their year.
Key Players to Watch
Babar Azam
He missed Headingley. He returns at Lord’s. The pressure on him to perform immediately is enormous. Pakistan’s batting without Babar at Headingley was exposed completely. With him at number three, the middle order has a platform to build around.
His record of delivering at critical moments as captain is explored in our piece on Babar Azam’s captaincy records and seven biggest achievements. Lord’s is his stage. His career has produced memorable performances on the biggest occasions. Pakistan need him to find his best here.
Ollie Robinson
He destroyed Pakistan at Headingley with five wickets in each innings. His shape into right-handed batters from a good length on a fresh Lord’s surface makes him England’s most dangerous bowler in these conditions. Every Pakistan batter facing him must have a specific plan. Robinson does not give second chances.
Mohammad Abbas
Pakistan’s most experienced and reliable Test seam bowler. He brings skill, control, and the ability to move the ball both ways with the older ball. Lord’s slope suits his style of bowling. If Abbas and Ubaid Shah can trouble England’s top order inside the first 25 overs, Pakistan can keep the match competitive.
Joe Root
He leads England for the first time at Lord’s since his second captaincy began. He equalled Tendulkar’s record of 68 half-centuries at Headingley. Root has scored 771 runs from his last 10 matches at an average of 42.83. His judgment of length and his sweep and reverse-sweep against spin give him specific advantages as the Lord’s surface deteriorates.
Can Pakistan Actually Win at Lord’s?
The honest assessment is that England are clear favourites. They have the better bowling attack, home conditions, and recent Test match rhythm. They bowled Pakistan out twice in fewer than 86 overs at Headingley.
But Pakistan have won at Lord’s before. In 2010, Pakistan secured one of Test cricket’s most remarkable wins at this ground. In 2016, they beat England at Lord’s during a series they eventually drew.
The slope suits Mohammad Abbas. Sajid Khan and Ali Usman can be effective on a wearing surface. And Babar Azam at his best on the biggest stage is a batter England cannot dismiss cheaply without serious quality bowling.
Pakistan’s path to a win requires Babar to bat 100-plus balls minimum. It requires their pace bowlers to take wickets in the first session. It requires their spinners to take at least five wickets across England’s innings on Days 3 and 4. All three things must happen simultaneously. It is a difficult combination. It is not an impossible one.
England win probability: 60%
Pakistan win probability: 25%
Draw probability: 15%
Conclusion
Lord’s on August 27 is Pakistan’s last realistic chance to make this series a contest. Babar Azam returns. The surface is different from Headingley. The weather gives Day 1 genuine uncertainty. England are strong favourites but this is Lord’s and Test cricket rarely follows the obvious script. Pakistan have the bowling to take wickets here. Whether their batting can finally find the application and technique that Headingley exposed so completely is the only question that matters. One Test. Everything at stake.
