Cricket has a wonderful habit of producing moments that rewrite the narrative entirely, and day three at Edgbaston delivered one of those moments in spectacular fashion. Pakistan debutant Razaullah, batting at number nine, launched an assault so audacious and so commanding that England now face a 130-run chase on Saturday rather than preparing their victory speeches on Friday evening. From the brink of an innings capitulation, Pakistan have restored genuine contest to this third Rothesay Test — and one 21-year-old is almost entirely responsible.
Razaullah Rewrites the Script
When Pakistan reached 318 for eight, still two runs adrift of England's first-innings total of 453, a swift conclusion felt inevitable. More than two hours of play remained, and England's bowlers had every right to sense the kill. What followed, however, was extraordinary. Razaullah unleashed an 81 off just 63 balls that will be talked about for years. His nine sixes in the innings equalled Ben Stokes' record for maximums in a Test innings on English soil — a remarkable benchmark for any batter to reach, let alone someone playing their first Test match. He was eventually stumped off Dan Lawrence, but by that point the damage — or the glory, depending on your allegiance — was well and truly done.
Abbas Provides the Platform for Chaos
Razaullah did not do it alone. Muhammad Abbas contributed a belligerent 42, including two sixes of his own, as the pair put on 121 for the ninth wicket. That stand effectively transformed Pakistan's innings from a tidy English victory into a genuine contest. It was the kind of lower-order defiance that coaches dream of instilling but rarely see executed with such freedom and intent. The partnership took Pakistan to 449 all out, setting England a target that is entirely gettable but far from trivial under Test conditions.
Masood and Babar Set the Foundation
To be fair to Pakistan, the platform for Razaullah's fireworks was built by more senior hands. Shan Masood fell agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 95 when Lawrence pouched a stunning one-handed catch at gully off Gus Atkinson. Before that, Masood had shared a third-wicket partnership of 125 with Azan Awais, who contributed 59 before being dismissed tickling Lawrence's off-spin down the leg side. Babar Azam added a classy 76, though England's aggressive short-ball tactics either side of tea clearly troubled him, and his dismissal to a Josh Tongue bouncer seemed, at the time, to confirm the match was all but over. Josh Tongue finished with four wickets for 42 — a fine bowling performance largely overshadowed by what came next.
England's Chase and What It Means
England will resume on Saturday needing 130 to win, a target that on paper suits their aggressive batting philosophy perfectly. Against any other team in any other match, you'd back Ben Stokes' side to knock these off in a session. Yet this Pakistan outfit, written off so comprehensively after their first-innings collapse of 133, have shown they will not simply lie down. The betting markets will have adjusted sharply — England remain firm favourites, but the odds on a Pakistan miracle will have tightened considerably after Friday's events.
Whatever happens on Saturday, Razaullah has already made his mark. Debuts don't come much more dramatic than this, and English cricket fans who stayed to watch will have witnessed something genuinely special — even if it came at England's expense.
Scorecard Summary
Pakistan 1st innings: 133 (Tongue 4-42)
England 1st innings: 453 (Brook 75, Smith 69, Lawrence 65, Gay 60, Robinson 50; Razaullah 4-148)
Pakistan 2nd innings: 449 (Masood 95, Razaullah 81, Babar 76, Awais 59)
England require: 130 to win
