ENG vs PAK: Joe Root joins Ben Stokes in rare club after England complete 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan in Birmingham
England completed a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan in a Test series for the second time in history.
Joe Root became the second England captain after Ben Stokes to lead the Three Lions to a clean sweep in a three-match Test series after home side won the third and final game in Birmingham by eight wickets on Saturday. England had already won the series earlier, after wins in Leeds and Lord's.
The last and only time England clean-swept Pakistan in a three-match Test series was in 2022-23, when the Ben Stokes-led side won all the games away from home. This was also Root's first series after being re-appointed as the captain of the Test side following Stokes' retirement earlier this year.
Pakistan came into the amid chaos. Following their Lord's defeat, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) axed seven players and two coaches ahead of the third Test. With three debutants, Pakistan gave a good fight in the second innings, but it was too late for the Babar Azam-led side.
What happened in ENG vs PAK 3rd Test?
Chasing 130 on the fourth day, England needed only 24.2 overs to chase down the target of 130 with eight wickets in hand. Root remained unbeaten on 62 while Jordan Cox scored 59. Pakistan, after being bowled out for 133 in the first innings, fought back with 449 in the second.
Shan Masood scored 95, Babar Azam 76 and debutant Razaullah 81, while Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas (42) added 121 runs for the ninth wicket. England had earlier posted 453, taking a 320-run first-innings lead. Harry Brook (75), Jamie Smith (69), Dan Lawrence (65), Emilio Gay (60) and Ollie Robinson (50) were among the key contributors.
Joe Root surpasses Sachin Tendulkar
In the process, Root surpassed legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar's record for most fifties in Tests. With his unbeaten half-century, Root took his Test fifties tally to 69, moving past Tendulkar's 68. West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul is next in line with 66 fifties, followed by Australian Allan Border and India Rahul Dravid, who have 63 each.
Root also became the first batter to score more than 1,000 Test runs at Edgbaston. The venue is now the fourth where the right-hander crossed the 1,000-run mark, after Lord's, Manchester and The Oval. He is only the third player after former South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Australian great Ricky Ponting to score more than 1,000 Test runs at four different venues.
WTC points table after ENG vs PAK 3rd Test
| Rank | Team | Matches | Win | Loss | Draw | Points Deduction | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 80 |
| 2 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 75 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 72.22 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 55.56 |
| 5 | India | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 51.52 |
| 6 | England | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 74 | 38.54 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 33.33 |
| 8 | West Indies | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 30 | 20.83 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 14.81 |
England's 3-0 victory over Pakistan also Root's men jump one spot in the latest World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 points table. England are currently placed sixth, with Sri Lanka pushed to seventh. Pakistan remain at ninth in the table led by Australia.
About the Author
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights on Cricket, Football, and Tennis at Livemint Sports.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.