England and Pakistan meet in the third and final Test of their series at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting September 9, 2026. England have already secured the series after producing emphatic victories at Headingley and Lord’s, giving them an unassailable 2-0 lead. The rivalry has historically been closely contested, but England have dominated the recent meetings, winning each of the last five Tests, including the opening two matches of this series.
England have been in excellent form at home, with their bowling attack proving particularly difficult for Pakistan to handle. Ollie Robinson has led the charge with 16 wickets in the first two Tests, while Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue have provided strong support. Pakistan, meanwhile, have struggled badly with the bat in English conditions, failing to reach 200 in any of their four innings in the series. With a 3-0 sweep now at stake, captain Babar Azam and a reshuffled top order featuring several younger players will be under pressure to deliver a much-improved performance at Edgbaston.
England vs Pakistan 3rd Test: Date, Time, Venue, Where to Watch And More
- Match: England vs Pakistan, 3rd Test
- Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
- Time: 3:30 PM IST
- Venue: Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham, England
Edgbaston Stadium Pitch Report
The Edgbaston pitch is expected to offer a noticeably different challenge from the greener, more seam-friendly surfaces seen at Headingley and Lord’s. The brownish deck has limited grass and is likely to be flatter and drier, giving batters a better opportunity to build substantial scores. There could still be some movement for the new ball, particularly in cool and overcast conditions, but the assistance for seamers is expected to fade as the game progresses.
As the surface dries and begins to deteriorate, spin is likely to become a bigger factor, especially in the final innings. That makes batting first an attractive option for the team winning the toss, allowing them to make the most of the better conditions before the pitch slows down. Historically, Edgbaston has produced a balanced contest, with teams batting first winning 20 of 61 Tests and bowling-first sides claiming 23 victories. The venue has recorded average scores of 307 in the first innings, 317 in the second, 246 in the third and 159 in the fourth.
Predicted XIs
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (C), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (WK), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue/Shoaib Bashir
Pakistan: Azan Awais, Saim Ayub/Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (C), Abdullah Fazal, Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori (WK), Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Ubaid Shah
Captain And Vice-Captain Choices
Captain Choice: Joe Root
Joe Root stands out as a strong captaincy pick thanks to his outstanding record at Edgbaston, where he has scored 1,439 Test runs and claimed five wickets. With the pitch expected to be drier and flatter, his off-spin could also become a factor in the fourth innings, adding extra value to his all-round fantasy potential.
Vice-Captain Choice: Harry Brook
Harry Brook has been England’s top run-scorer in the series so far, collecting 140 runs from the first two Tests. With Edgbaston expected to offer a flatter, drier surface, the conditions could suit his attacking approach and give him an excellent opportunity to produce a quick, match-defining century.
England vs Pakistan 3rd Test: Toss Prediction
Toss Winner: England
Decision: Bowl First
Reason: Despite Edgbaston’s flatter and drier surface, the cool, overcast Birmingham mornings could offer England’s pacers plenty of early swing and seam movement. Joe Root is therefore likely to rely on Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer to attack Pakistan before the conditions ease, with bowling first also giving England a chance to expose Pakistan’s fragile top order and put themselves in a strong position for a 3-0 sweep.
Who Will Win Today’s 3rd Test Match Between England And Pakistan?
England go into the third Test at Edgbaston as overwhelming favourites, with statistical models giving them a 78% chance of victory compared with 11.5% for Pakistan. The hosts have already taken a 2-0 series lead after huge wins at Headingley and Lord’s, while Pakistan’s batting struggles have seen them fail to score 200 in any of their four innings.
With seven players sent home and an inexperienced squad now in place, Pakistan face another major challenge against an England pace attack led by Ollie Robinson, who has 16 wickets in the series, and Jofra Archer. Although Pakistan will be desperate to avoid a 3-0 clean sweep, England appear to have the stronger hand in almost every department.
