England v Pakistan at Edgbaston: Ten years on

England will play Pakistan at Edgbaston in the third and final Test match of the highly anticipated series from 9-13 September, ten years on from the last time the two teams met at The People’s Home of Cricket.

2026-07-16T08:50+01:00

Tickets are still available for the Test between two great cricketing nations, with only a small number left for Day Three. Buy your tickets now.

Back in 2016, Edgbaston played host to a thriller, with England eventually earning a come-from-behind 141-run win, despite Pakistan leading by 103 runs after the first innings. Here’s how it unfolded…

Pakistan take first innings lead

After winning the toss Pakistan opted to field first, giving England first use of the Edgbaston track.

Alastair Cook captained the home side, scoring 45 at almost a run-a-ball, but with opening partner Alex Hales (17) and Joe Root (3) dismissed cheaply, England were 75 for three when Cook was dismissed.

A 69-run partnership between James Vince (39) and Gary Ballance, who top-scored with a watchful 70 from 150 balls, helped the score, and when Moeen Ali, playing on his home ground, notched a well-made 68, England had reached 244 for six.

Pakistan continued to take regular wickets however, and when Sohail Khan picked up the final wicket of James Anderson, trapped LBW, England were dismissed for 297. Khan would end with figures of five for 96, while Mohammad Amir and Rahat Ali took two wickets apiece as Pakistan impressed with the ball.

Pakistan’s reply got off to the worst possible start with Mohammad Hafeez dismissed without scoring, however Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali put the visitors firmly in the driving seat with an impressive 188-run partnership.

Aslam was the first to go after scoring 82, with Ali the third Pakistan wicket to fall when the score reached 257. His innings of 139 lasted almost five hours, and with contributions from experienced campaigners Younis Khan (31) and Misbah ul-Haq (56), and Sarfraz Ahmed (46) down the order, Pakistan were eventually all out for 400.

Chris Woakes (three for 79) and Stuart Broad (three for 83) were the pick of the England bowlers.

England fight back

Trailing by 103 runs going into the second innings, England set about reducing the deficit and did so in some style. Cook and Hales saw the hosts eradicate Pakistan’s lead before they had lost a wicket, with Cook scoring 66 and Hales 54 as the duo put on 126 for the first wicket before Cook was dismissed.

Hales was caught in the slips by Khan off the bowling of Amir in the next over, before Root (62) and Vince (42) added 96 for the third wicket.

Pakistan responded though and had England 282 for five, with the hosts leading by 179 with five second innings wickets remaining when Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali came together at the crease.

The pair counter-attacked for England, putting on 152 as they looked to give England enough time to bowl the visitors out. Bairstow struck 83 while Ali’s unbeaten 86 came from 96 balls before England declared on 445 for six, with a lead of 342.

Reverse swing does it for England

Set 343 for victory in 84 overs, England produced a reverse swing bowling clinic on the final day to make sure of a victory that looked unlikely after the first innings.

Broad dismissed Hafeez for two, but resistance from his opening partner Sami Aslam (70) and Azhar Ali (38) saw Pakistan reach 124 for three before Woakes and Finn combined to devastating effect.

Pakistan crumbled to 201 all out, at one stage losing four for one in a 23-ball spell between Finn and Woakes before tea, having been sitting reasonably comfortably at lunch, with a draw well within reach.

Finn had Ul-Haq caught behind, Woakes trapped Asad Shafiq leg before and struck again with the wicket of Sarfaraz Ahmed, caught in the slips by Root, and Finn returned to end Aslam’s vigil, as Pakistan went from 124 for three to 125 for seven in the space of three overs.

Late resistance from Sohail Khan (36) couldn’t stop England, as he was the last wicket to fall, caught and bowled by eventual man of the match Moeen Ali to see England triumph in a classic by 141 runs.