England’s hopes of wrapping up a clean‑sheet series against Pakistan in just three days were shattered on the final day of the third Test at Edgbaston, thanks to an explosive innings from 21‑year‑old debutant Razaullah. After a day that saw Pakistan enjoy their most dominant performance of an otherwise bleak tour, the hosts still trailed by two wickets when the evening session began. Razaullah then took charge, hammering 81 runs from only 63 balls and striking the boundary nine times, thereby matching Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes by a player on Test debut.
The young all‑rounder built a vital 121‑run partnership with fast‑bowler Mohammad Abbas, who contributed 42 runs and added two sixes of his own before being dismissed by Josh Tongue in the final overs. Razaullah’s on‑fire display was finally halted when he was stumped off the bowling of Dan Lawrence (2‑17), bringing the day’s play to a close. England, having lost their composure in the last session, now face a target of 130 runs on day four – a steeper ask than many had anticipated, but still within reach if they can muster the necessary resolve to claim a historic home whitewash of Pakistan. **First innings scores** - Pakistan 133 all out (33.5 overs): Saud Shakeel 43, Mohammad Abbas 21; Josh Tongue 4‑42, Ollie Robinson 3‑15, Jofra Archer 3‑25.
- England 453 all out (89 overs): Harry Brook 75, Jamie Smith 69, Dan Lawrence 65, Emilio Gay 60, Ollie Robinson 50; Razaullah 4‑148. **Second innings scores** - Pakistan 449 all out (96.4 overs), leading by 129: Shan Masood 95, Razaullah 81 (63 balls), Babar Azam 76, Azan Awais 59; Gus Atkinson 3‑109.
- England required 130 to win. Both Shan Masood and Babar Azam missed chances to notch the series’ first century, falling short after promising starts. Masood’s dismissal came via a spectacular one‑handed catch by Dan Lawrence in the slips, while Babar walked into a short‑ball trap set by England just as tea was about to be called, an error that left the Pakistani side reeling.
After the fall of four wickets for just 40 runs, Razaullah’s aggressive counter‑attack revived Pakistan’s fortunes and pushed the contest into a fourth day. Starting the third day at 52‑2, the visitors managed a modest 15 runs in the first 7.2 overs, but then exploded, adding 117 runs in the next 20 balls. The only blemish was the dismissal of Azan Awais (59), caught off a faint edge to Lawrence’s leg‑side.
England’s four‑man pace unit, which had struggled to make inroads throughout the series, finally found some rhythm after the lunch break. Gus Atkinson delivered a spell of eight overs that yielded his second wicket of the series, removing Masood with a catch by Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue turned to short‑ball tactics against Babar, who, despite repeated warnings, attempted to counter and was eventually caught gloving behind the stumps by Tongue (2‑106). Archer (1‑120) later dismissed Saud Shakeel (29) with another aggressive short ball that rose to short‑leg. Jordan Cox contributed two stunning catches behind the stumps, removing debutants Ghazi Ghori (16) and Mohammad Imran (4) as Atkinson (3‑109) capitalised on their edges.
Razaullah, who had already impressed with the ball by taking four wickets in the first innings – including England’s leading run‑scorer Joe Root on his very first over – now turned the spotlight on his batting, propelling Pakistan to a 129‑run lead. A dramatic moment unfolded when an lbw decision against Lawrence was overturned on review, only for Razaullah to be dismissed on the very next ball, ending the day’s action. **Razaullah’s post‑innings remarks to Sky Sports Cricket** "I just had to bat, you are the ones who got to enjoy it.
I was planning to take it longer and deeper – 81 runs is not bad though. I was just trying to provide support for the other batters and trying to take it as deep as possible. There was no point at which I didn't enjoy it or when I was scared.
I won't give any messages to the batters – they can do their bit – but I really, really enjoyed it. I was wanting the strike, and overall I wanted to keep the strike as long as possible to get Pakistan another day." **Urooj Mumtaz of Sky Sports Cricket on the debutant’s performance** "That was simply sensational – a perfectly written first chapter of his Test career. All that passion, the flair of Pakistan cricket.
A 21‑year‑old who wasn’t even on the squad list gets on the plane, receives his baggy green, and claims Joe Root as his first Test wicket, a four‑for on debut, then scores 81 with nine sixes – the entire Edgbaston crowd was on its feet. He arrived with no baggage, bringing the spark, energy, and exuberance of youth that every team craves. He smiled, never seemed overwhelmed, and almost seemed to believe in his own ability. If anyone is betting, today’s events have reignited hope.
Razaullah gives Pakistan a distinct edge with his pace, and they must have faith in that." The match will continue on Saturday with day four, where England will chase the modest target of 130 runs. The outcome will determine whether England can secure a historic home series whitewash against Pakistan, a feat that has never been achieved before. Viewers can follow the live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am, with streaming options available for those without a Sky subscription.