Pakistan cricket has had little to cheer about of late. If two deflating losses in the first two Tests against England were not enough, they were followed by a stunning decision by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to sack seven players and send two coaches home. In the ongoing third Test, seven debutants are playing. Pakistan’s new-look team was unable to shake off old problems as it was bowled out for a paltry 133 after being put into bat by England in the third Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday, before Emilio Gay and Harry Brook carried the hosts further into the ascendancy.
NASSER HUSSAIN PRAISES RAZAULLAH!
Former England captain Nasser Hussain was full of praise for Pakistan’s young fast bowler Razaullah after his impressive spell against England. šµš°
āI enjoyed the spell from Razaullah. It gave Pakistan something different that Iā¦ pic.twitter.com/OzwC33DQJ8
ā The CricketVillage š¬š§šµš°š¦šŗš®š³šæš¦š§š©š±š° (@MSohailAfzal10) September 9, 2026
Believe Me! Razaullah is the Next Waqar Younis Remember This Name! ……. pic.twitter.com/U4uFxOjaI4
ā Usman (@UsmanOffical56) September 9, 2026
Josh Tongue claimed 4-42 while Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer shared six wickets as Pakistan’s shake-up since going 2-0 down in the three-match series had minimal impact. Gay and Brook then made fifties to lift England to 156-4 at stumps on day one, leading by 23 despite captain Joe Root being out lbw for the 10th time in 13 innings.
In the midst of this, debutant pacer Razaullah returned with figures of 2/42 in 9 overs. While he was expensive, the 21-year-old’s Waqar Younis-like action and raw speed impressed all. He clocked 90mph regularly and took the wickets of Joe Root and Emilio Gay.
Gay and Brook shared a 104-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Razaullah removed Joe Root in his first over, then Gay. Razaullah trapped Root with a delivery that skidded onto the pad. It was Root’s 10th lbw dismissal in 13 innings. Gay was then struck on the side of his knee by a delivery from Razaullah. Then, with a 144 kmph delivery, Razaullah bowled Gay.
Pakistan entered the match amid controversy after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released seven players, along with then-head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, following defeats in the first two Tests. They made four changes to their XI, handing Test debuts to three players in a bid to finish the series on a positive note. However, the revamped batting line-up struggled against England’s relentless seam attack.