ENG vs PAK 3rd Test: Pakistan's 100-plus stand broken as Azan Awais departs

England vs Pakistan, 3rd Test Live Score: Rain came to Pakistan’s rescue on day two of the Edgbaston Test on Thursday as England put themselves in a strong position to complete a series sweep. Pakistan were reduced to 52-2 in their second innings and still trailed England by 268 runs when bad weather stopped play. England had earlier posted 320 in their first innings to take a 320-run lead.

The visitors have already won the three-match series 2-0 and are now on course for a 3-0 sweep, with no Test in the series expected to go the distance.

Robinson strikes twice

Pakistan walked out after tea in gloomy, lights-on conditions that appeared ideal for England's four-man pace attack.

Ollie Robinson once again became the star with the ball. He dismissed Saim Ayub off the very first ball of Pakistan's second innings, with the batter edging behind to the slips.

The wicket made Robinson only the fifth bowler in Test history to take a wicket with the first ball of an innings twice in the same series. India's Zaheer Khan last achieved the feat against Bangladesh in 2007, while England's Bill Voce was the previous Englishman to do so, against Australia in 1937.

Ayub had been playing Twenty20 cricket in the Caribbean just 10 days earlier before being called up by Pakistan in the middle of the series. It was his first Test in 20 months.

He had a match to forget, getting a pair.

Robinson struck again with his fourth ball, dismissing Abdullah Shafique and leaving Pakistan at 0-2.

It was only the sixth time Pakistan had started a Test innings at 0-2 and the second time against England. The previous occasion against England also came at Edgbaston, in 1982, when Ian Botham took both wickets.

With Pakistan 52-2 and still 268 runs behind, England remain firmly in control.

The hosts now need a major batting effort to make England bat again and keep the Test alive. But with England already 2-0 ahead in the series, the visitors will be confident of completing a 3-0 sweep if the weather allows enough play on the final days.