England moved within touching distance of a series victory over Pakistan on Sunday after Mohammad Abbas’ five-wicket haul could not prevent the hosts from setting a formidable fourth-innings target at Lord’s.

England resumed the fourth day on 177 for seven in their second innings, already holding a 357-run advantage after Pakistan had been bowled out for 110 in their first innings.

The remaining England batsmen added 31 more runs before Pakistan finally ended the innings. England were dismissed for 208 after 54.2 overs, leaving Pakistan with 389 runs to win the second Test and level the three-match series.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Abbas was the outstanding performer with the ball. He claimed five wickets in England's second innings, earning his place on the Lord's honours board with a performance that deserved recognition even as his team faced an enormous target.

Lawrence Falls After Another Valuable Innings

Dan Lawrence had given England an important platform on the previous day, reaching an unbeaten 50 before play was abandoned because of bad light.

He eventually fell for 54, bowled by Abbas as Pakistan continued to make England work for every run. Ollie Robinson then became Abbas' fifth victim, edging behind to Mohammad Rizwan for eight.

Josh Tongue added 12 before being run out, bringing England's second innings to an end.

Jofra Archer was left unbeaten on two.

England's 389-run target was therefore set without the need for a declaration.

Pakistan's Chase Starts in Nightmare Fashion

Pakistan needed an exceptional batting performance to stay alive in the series.

Instead, England's new-ball attack immediately exposed the difficulty of the chase.

Ollie Robinson struck first, trapping Azan Awais lbw for six. He then produced an excellent delivery to remove Abdullah Shafique for a duck, leaving Pakistan seven runs for two wickets.

Jofra Archer then delivered another major blow.

Babar Azam, returning to the Pakistan side after missing the opening Test with a finger injury, was dismissed for three when a short delivery from Archer was taken at slip. Pakistan were subsequently 22 for three after 10 overs, with Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel attempting to rebuild the innings.

The collapse meant Pakistan had lost three wickets while still needing 367 more runs for victory.

England's Bowlers Have Taken Control

England's dominance has been built around their pace attack.

Ollie Robinson was particularly impressive earlier in the match, taking four wickets for 11 runs when Pakistan were dismissed for 110 in the first innings.

Jofra Archer also played a major role, using his pace and short-pitched bowling to unsettle Pakistan's batsmen. He took three wickets for 26 runs in that innings.

The conditions at Lord's have also rewarded England's seamers, with movement and uneven bounce making life difficult for Pakistan's batting order.

That combination has left Pakistan facing a massive task in the fourth innings.

England Seeking a First Home Series Win in 20 Months

England entered the Lord's Test with a 1-0 lead after an emphatic innings-and-103-run victory at Headingley.

A victory at Lord's would therefore give Joe Root's side an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.

England's position is especially striking given how quickly Pakistan's batting has struggled during the tour.

Pakistan were bowled out for 171 and 136 in the first Test before managing only 110 in their first innings at Lord's.

England have consequently been able to put Pakistan under scoreboard pressure in almost every innings.

Pakistan Still Have a Huge Fight Ahead

There is, however, still cricket to be played.

A target of 389 is difficult, but Pakistan's batsmen have an opportunity to change the story if they can establish a substantial partnership.

The biggest challenge is surviving England's pace attack.

With Robinson and Archer already responsible for the early damage, Pakistan's remaining batsmen face a long battle against an England attack that has consistently found ways to take wickets.

For England, the task is now straightforward: continue applying pressure and take the remaining seven wickets.

For Pakistan, the equation is considerably harder.

They need to produce a batting performance that has so far eluded them during this tour.

At Lord's, England are firmly in command.

But until the final wicket falls, the series is not officially won.