Pakistan stunned England with stunning fightback as Razaullah and Abbas forced a tricky chase at Edgbaston
Pakistan’s Razaullah (AP) Pakistan staged a remarkable counter-attack on Day 3 of the third Test at Edgbaston, turning what looked like a straightforward innings defeat into a potentially tricky chase for England.After being bowled out for just 133 in their first innings and conceding a lead of 320 runs, Pakistan were expected to bowl quickly in their second innings. Instead, they battled for nearly 97 overs and were eventually dismissed for 449, leaving England with a target of 130 runs to win the Test and complete the series 3–0.The result means England will return on Day 4 needing only 130 runs, but extraordinary resistance from Pakistan’s lower order ensured the hosts could not complete the match on the third night.
Masood, Babar and Azan lead Pakistan’s batting
Pakistan’s revival has been built on the contributions of their top and middle order.Skipper Shan Masood narrowly missed out on a century, scoring a determined 95 to anchor the innings. Azan Awais added 59 while Babar Azam played an assured knock of 76 as Pakistan gradually erased England’s huge first-innings lead.Just when it looked like Pakistan had done enough to force England to bat again, the wickets began to fall and England sensed another opportunity to end the Test. But the lower order had other ideas.
Razaullah and Abbas produce a stunning 121-run stand
Debutant Razaullah provided the biggest surprise of the day with a sensational counter-attack of 81 off 73 balls.Batting at No.9, Razaullah attacked the English bowlers, hitting nine sixes during his entertaining innings. He found an unlikely but immensely valuable partner in Mohammad Abbas, who held his end together as the pair added 121 runs for the ninth wicket.The partnership stunned England and thwarted their attempts to complete the series sweep on the third day.England finally broke the stand when Josh Tongue dismissed Abbas, ending one of the most unexpected Test partnerships. Razaullah’s innings also ended shortly after as the English bowlers finally cleaned up the tail.Gus Atkinson played a key role in the late breakthroughs, while Jofra Archer and Tongue kept Pakistan’s batting under pressure earlier.Pakistan’s 449 left England 130 out for victory. While the target remains modest, an extraordinary fightback from the visitors at least forced England to bat again after their first-innings dominance.England now have a clear opportunity to complete Day 4 with a 3-0 series win. Pakistan, meanwhile, will be hoping that their lower-order heroics have given them enough momentum to produce a final twist in a Test that seemed headed for an early finish.