Pakistan maintained pressure on England at Edgbaston on Friday, with debutant fast bowler Razaullah unleashing a barrage of sixes to extend his team’s second-innings lead to 130 runs by stumps on day three. The spirited batting display prevented England from wrapping up a 3-0 series sweep in their immediate session.
Coming to the crease when the tourists appeared close to defeat, Razaullah remained unbeaten on 81 off 63 deliveries, including nine boundaries over the covers and four through the air. His explosive cameo, supported by fellow paceman Mohammad Abbas, shifted the momentum significantly. Abbas contributed 42 runs before falling to Josh Tongue, with the two adding a crucial 121-run partnership for the ninth wicket.
The innings was a stark contrast to Pakistan’s struggles earlier in the match. Chasing a massive first-innings deficit of 320, the side endured a difficult opening phase, losing two early wickets for single-digit scores. However, Shan Masood and Azan Awais stabilized the innings with a solid partnership that took the total to 125. Masood, who fell just five runs short of his eighth Test century, was dismissed by Gus Atkinson, while Awais was caught by stand-in wicketkeeper Jordan Cox off Dan Lawrence for 59.
Captain Babar Azam, returning from a hand injury that kept him out of the first Test, made a fluent 76 before being caught off Tongue. Despite subsequent dismissals for Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori, and Mohammad Imran, the lower order ensured Pakistan passed 200 for the first time in the series, reaching 439-9 by the close.
England, who have dominated the three-Test series so far, now face a challenging path on Saturday. After winning the opening match by an innings and 103 runs and the second by 194, they require 130 more runs to secure victory and complete the clean sweep. The match follows significant administrative changes for Pakistan, which saw the sacking of head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul, along with seven player releases, following their second-Test loss.
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