Razaullah Khan’s explosive 81 and a record ninth-wicket stand with Mohammad Abbas gave Pakistan an unexpected chance of salvaging the final Test at Edgbaston.
Pakistan produced a remarkable fightback on the third day of the final Test at Edgbaston on Friday, overcoming a huge first-innings deficit to set England a target of 130 runs.
Debutant Razaullah Khan led the late resistance with a stunning 81 from just 63 balls. The all-rounder smashed nine sixes and four fours after already taking four wickets in England’s first innings.
Pakistan’s recovery looked unlikely when they slipped to 318-8 after conceding a massive 320-run first-innings lead. But Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas turned the match around with a crucial 121-run ninth-wicket partnership.
Abbas remained composed during the counterattack, scoring 42 from 67 deliveries with two sixes and five fours. Their partnership lifted Pakistan to 449 all out in 96.4 overs and left England needing 130 runs for victory.
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Razaullah was eventually stumped by stand-in wicketkeeper Jordan Cox off Dan Lawrence, but his aggressive innings had already given Pakistan a fighting chance after a difficult series.
Earlier, Shan Masood, Azan Awais and Babar Azam laid the foundation for the recovery after Pakistan resumed on 56-2. Azan and Shan put together 123 for the third wicket before Lawrence ended their partnership.
Azan was dismissed for 59 after an England review overturned the on-field decision. Shan then fell for 95, five runs short of his century, after facing 148 balls and hitting 12 fours.
Babar subsequently joined Saud Shakeel to add 64 for the fifth wicket. The Pakistan captain scored 76, his first half-century of the tour, before Josh Tongue had him caught behind by Cox.
Babar struck 11 fours and a six during his 103-ball innings, which lasted 161 minutes.
Saud contributed 29 before Jofra Archer dismissed him, leaving Pakistan at 306-6. Gus Atkinson then struck twice in quick succession, removing Ghazi Ghori for 16 and Mohammad Imran Randhawa for four.
With Pakistan still trailing and eight wickets down, Razaullah and Abbas launched the decisive counterattack.
Atkinson finished with 3-109, while Robinson, Tongue and Lawrence claimed two wickets apiece. Robinson ended the match with five wickets, while Tongue took six.
Archer, who claimed 3-25 in Pakistan’s first innings, went wicketless in the second.
England will begin their chase of 130 runs on Saturday, with Pakistan hoping their extraordinary lower-order recovery can produce an unlikely result in the final Test.
