ENG vs PAK 3rd Test: Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas Lead Epic Fightback at Edgbaston

The third Test match between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham, witnessed one of the most stunning lower-order counter-attacks in recent cricket history. Facing the prospect of an innings defeat, Pakistan’s tailenders turned the game on its head. Debutant Razaullah and veteran fast bowler Mohammad Abbas shared a record-breaking 121-run partnership for the ninth wicket, wiping out the deficit and setting England a competitive Target.

Match Situation Before the Counter-Attack

England had taken complete control of the match earlier in the week. After bowling Pakistan out for just 133 in their first innings, England posted a formidable total of 453, taking a massive lead of 320 runs.

Pakistan’s second innings began with a steady recovery through top-order half-centuries from Shan Masood (95), Babar Azam (76), and Azan Awais (59). However, a sudden mid-order collapse triggered by the English pacers left Pakistan at 318/8, still trailing and on the verge of losing the match by an innings.

The 121-Run Miracle Partnership

When Mohammad Abbas joined debutant Razaullah at the crease, few expected the dramatic turn of events that followed. Instead of defending, both batters launched a counter-attack against England's bowling attack.

Razaullah, playing in his debut Test match, displayed fearless hitting. The 21-year-old all-rounder reached his half-century off just 43 balls, becoming the fastest Pakistani player to score a debut Test fifty. He went on to score 81 runs from 63 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and nine massive sixes. His nine sixes equaled the world record for the most sixes hit by a player on Test debut.

At the other end, Mohammad Abbas played a brilliant supporting role, scoring a career-best 42 runs off 67 balls with five fours and two sixes. Together, the duo added 121 runs in quick time, frustrating the English team and turning a hopeless position into a defendable total.

Batter	Runs Scored	Balls Faced	Fours (4s)	Sixes (6s)	Strike Rate
Razaullah	81	63	4	9	128.57
Mohammad Abbas	42	67	5	2	62.68

Complete 2nd Innings Scorecard Summary

Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 449 runs in 96.4 overs. Thanks to the lower-order heroics, Pakistan erased the 320-run first-innings deficit and took a 129-run lead overall, setting England a target of 130 runs in the final innings.

Pakistan Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Saim Ayub	c Brook b Robinson	0	1	0	0
Azan Awais	c Cox b Lawrence	59	84	10	0
Abdullah Shafique	c Root b Robinson	0	3	0	0
Shan Masood	c Lawrence b Atkinson	95	148	12	0
Babar Azam	c Cox b Tongue	76	103	11	1
Saud Shakeel	c Gay b Archer	29	59	3	0
Ghazi Ghori	c Cox b Atkinson	16	27	2	0
Mohammad Imran	c Cox b Atkinson	4	24	0	0
Razaullah	st Cox b Lawrence	81	63	4	9
Mohammad Abbas	c Atkinson b Tongue	42	67	5	2
Mohammad Ali	Not Out	4	5	1	0

Historical Records Broken in the Match

This partnership between Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas broke several long-standing records in Test cricket history:

1. Most Sixes on Test Debut: Razaullah’s 9 sixes tied the global record set by New Zealand’s Tim Southee in 2008.

2. Fastest Debut Fifty for Pakistan: Reached in just 43 balls, beating Faheem Ashraf's previous record of 52 balls.

3. Highest Debut Score at No. 9 for Pakistan: Razaullah's 81 surpassed Rashid Khan's score of 59 scored in 1982.

4. Tailender Sixes Record: Batters at numbers 9, 10, and 11 combined to hit 11 sixes in an innings—the first time this has occurred in the 149-year history of Test cricket.

Key Takeaways

While England remains in a strong position needing 130 runs to win the Test match, the fighting spirit shown by Pakistan's lower order prevented an embarrassing innings defeat. Razaullah’s debut performance with both bat (81 runs) and ball (4 wickets in the first innings) marks the arrival of an exciting new all-round talent for Pakistan cricket.