Pakistan Set 389 to Win at Lord’s After Abbas Five-Wicket Haul

LONDON: Pakistan have been set a challenging target of 389 runs at Lord’s after England were bowled out for 208 in their second innings of the second Test, leaving the visitors facing a demanding chase following their struggles with the bat earlier in the contest. England’s substantial first-innings advantage ensured that even a strong Pakistani bowling response in the second innings could not prevent the hosts from building a formidable overall lead.

Pakistan’s bowlers produced a much-improved performance to dismiss England for 208. Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas led the attack with another five-wicket haul, playing the central role in restricting the home side. Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali supported him effectively, taking two wickets each as Pakistan prevented England from extending their second-innings total much further.

Dan Lawrence was England’s leading contributor with the bat, scoring 54 runs. His innings helped the hosts maintain control despite losing wickets to Pakistan’s seam attack. England had earlier reached 81 for three as the match progressed, before Pakistan continued to make inroads and eventually ended the innings at 208.

The size of Pakistan’s target is primarily the result of what happened in the first innings. England had posted 290 before Pakistan’s batting line-up collapsed for only 110 in 37.2 overs. That gave the hosts a commanding 180-run first-innings lead and placed Pakistan under severe pressure before England began batting for a second time.

With England adding another 208, Pakistan now require 389 to win the Test. The chase represents a major test for the visiting batting order, which will need a dramatic improvement from its first-innings showing. Pakistan cannot afford another cluster of early wickets if they are to keep their hopes alive against an England attack defending a sizeable total at Lord’s.

Pakistan’s challenge has been complicated further by the absence of opener Imam-ul-Haq from the batting effort because of injury. Express News reported that Imam will not be able to bat, reducing Pakistan’s available options at the top of the order as the team prepares to pursue the target. His absence increases the responsibility on the remaining specialist batters to build partnerships and withstand pressure from the English bowlers.

Conditions have already influenced the course of the match, with bad light forcing play to end early during the third day. Such interruptions have added another element to a Test in which England’s first-innings lead remains the decisive numerical advantage despite Pakistan’s successful second-innings bowling performance. Abbas’s five-wicket haul gave the visitors a route back into the contest, but the earlier batting collapse means they still face a steep task.

Attention now shifts entirely to Pakistan’s pursuit of 389. The immediate objective will be to preserve wickets and establish partnerships capable of keeping the chase alive, while England will look to exploit the pressure created by the target and Pakistan’s reduced batting resources. The result at Lord’s will depend on whether Pakistan can turn their bowling recovery into an exceptional batting response after being dismissed for 110 in the first innings.