England series whitewash over Pakistan was confirmed on Friday, as Joe Root guided his side to an eight-wicket victory in the third test at Edgbaston with an unbeaten 62. The result completed a 3-0 sweep and marked England’s first series win in nineteen months.
Chasing a target of 130 for victory, England endured early tremors when Ben Duckett was dismissed off the first ball of the innings, with opening partner Emilio Gay following soon after in the same over from Mohammad Abbas. Root, however, steadied the innings and brought the experience of a long test career to bear at a crucial moment for his side.
A Testing Return to the Captaincy
The win represented a satisfying return to leadership for Root, who took over the England captaincy following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket. Root was given a fortunate reprieve during his innings when he was bowled by Mohammad Ali on 23, only for the delivery to be called a no ball, Ali’s seventeenth of the series. Pakistan’s best remaining chance to remove him came when Root, on 38, edged Abbas between first and second slip, with neither fielder claiming the catch.
Root’s unbeaten innings took his tally to 110 scores of fifty or more in test cricket, a total that includes 41 centuries. He received solid support from Jordan Cox, who remained unbeaten on 59 as England eased to victory and sealed the series.
Edgbaston Test Match Provides Late Drama
Although England had already secured the series before the final fixture, the Edgbaston test match was far from a formality. Pakistan, who had conceded a first innings deficit of 320 runs, showed considerable fight to push the contest into a fourth day. Debutant Razaullah played a significant role in that resistance, striking an electric 81 from 63 balls on the Friday evening that briefly threatened to complicate England’s chase.
Speaking after the match, Root acknowledged the character Pakistan had shown late in the series. He said Pakistan had made things difficult in the closing stages and that facing such pressure had, in some ways, benefited his team’s development. He added that England had entered the series under considerable scrutiny but had left as 3-0 winners, an outcome he described as pleasing given the questions surrounding the squad beforehand.
What the Result Means Going Forward
The series also marked a transitional period for the England set-up. Marcus Trescothick, who took charge as interim red-ball head coach following the sacking of Brendon McCullum, now hands over a rejuvenated squad to incoming coach Stephen Fleming. Attention turns next to a three-test series against South Africa in December and January, opposition widely regarded as considerably stronger than Pakistan.
Much will depend on the fitness of England’s bowling group, including Ollie Robinson, who finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 21 dismissals and was named player of the series. Robinson himself struck a note of caution after the win, acknowledging that tougher tests lie ahead and that the team could not expect matches to unfold as favourably in South Africa as they had against Pakistan.
For now, though, the England series whitewash over Pakistan stands as a significant marker in Root’s early captaincy, offering a strong foundation as the side moves into a considerably more demanding assignment later in the year.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 13th, 2026
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