9 batter Razaullah on debut capped an extraordinary Pakistan fightback against England in the Edgbaston cricket test on Friday. But Pakistan finally flexed its batting muscles to be dismissed for 449 in the last over of the day, snatch a lead of 129 runs and force a fourth day of action nobody predicted. Sensational six-hitting by No. The Pakistanis were expected to follow the previous two tests in the series and be cleaned up during day three of the third and last test by an England pace attack that has been rampant against the lackluster visitors.
Saud Shakeel frustrated England by plonking balls just out of reach of fielders while passing 2,000 test runs. But he was out on 29 trying to defend his head against an Archer bouncer, and Pakistan lost its last recognized batter at 306-6.
Gutsy half-centuries by Shan Masood (95), captain Babar Azam (76) and opener Azan Awais (59) lifted Pakistan to the brink of wiping out a 320-run deficit on the first innings, then Razaullah and No. 10 batter Mohammad Abbas smashed past it in style in a thrilling late-day partnership. It scored 397 runs in 84 overs on Friday, including its first two century partnerships of the tour. He was dropped at point before his half-century in 81 balls and was five runs from a century when he was out caught in the slips by a fantasic ankle-high grab by Dan Lawrence to give Atkinson his first wicket of the match.
Masood was moving his feet and looking nimble.
