England captain Joe Root has urged his players to celebrate their 2-0 Test series victory over Pakistan in a “grown-up way” after sealing the series with a 194-run win at Lord's on Sunday.
England bowled Pakistan out for 194 in the second innings of the second Test to secure victory by the same margin and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The result marked a winning start to Root's second tenure as England's Test captain after he took over the role following the unexpected retirement of Ben Stokes.
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The winning wicket! ????
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 30, 2026
Our 194-run win confirmed! ????
Match Centre: https://t.co/Z9bsIoMyb6 pic.twitter.com/RAmEIMrQzD
Nobody apart from Saud Shakeel showed much fight and resilience, with the 30-year-old batter playing a brilliant innings of 97 runs, falling just three runs short of etching his name on the honours board at Lord's.
However, the build-up to the second Test was overshadowed by another off-field incident involving an England player. Fast bowler Brydon Carse was seen handcuffed by police outside a nightclub in Derby, after which England dropped him from the squad.
Root Calls For Greater Responsibility
England have faced several alcohol-related controversies involving players over the past 12 months.
A curfew was introduced following Harry Brook's altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington. The team also faced scrutiny after videos emerged showing members of the squad drinking during nights out amid England's disastrous Ashes campaign in Australia.
In June, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were left out of the second Test against New Zealand following an incident at a London bar. The incident came after the pair had broken the team's curfew.
“It's important we're not talking about that, absolutely,” said Root. “It's hard to win Test matches, hard to win Test series, so enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible, grown-up way,” Root said.
Since taking over as England's Test captain, Root has scrapped the curfew and instead placed greater emphasis on players taking responsibility for their own actions.
With England now having secured the series against Pakistan, Root wants his players to enjoy the achievement while ensuring their celebrations remain responsible.
England pacer Ollie Robinson was the star of the match, claiming the best bowling figures of his Test career. He bowled 27 overs, including 11 maidens, conceded just 35 runs and picked up eight wickets in the match.
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The victory at Lord's gave England an unassailable lead in the three-Test series, with the team now looking to complete a series clean sweep in the final match.
England will now face a deflated Pakistan side on Sept. 9 at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.
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