BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM, September 11, 2026: For two Tests and most of the third, Pakistan had made losing look too easy.
Day 3 at Edgbaston finally looked different.
From 0 for two and still 320 runs behind on first innings, Pakistan fought all the way to 449, forcing England into a fourth day and setting the hosts 130 to complete a 3-0 series sweep.
Shan Masood made 95, Babar Azam 76 and Azan Awais 59, but the innings that changed the mood around the ground came from 21-year-old debutant fast bowler Razaullah.
He smashed 81 from 63 balls, including nine sixes, equaling Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes hit in an innings during a player’s Test debut. Alongside Mohammad Abbas, who made 42 from 67 balls, he added 121 for the ninth wicket and turned what had looked like another routine England finish into a contest that will continue on Saturday.
England remain overwhelming favorites.
Pakistan remain 2-0 down in a series they cannot save.
But for the first time in this Test, and arguably for the first sustained period in the series, the visitors made England earn what comes next.
England vs Pakistan 3rd Test, Day 3: Match Situation
| Match detail | Position at stumps |
|---|---|
| Pakistan first innings | 133 all out |
| England first innings | 453 all out |
| England first-innings lead | 320 runs |
| Pakistan second innings | 449 all out |
| Pakistan lead | 129 runs |
| England target | 130 runs |
| Top Pakistan score | Shan Masood 95 |
| Razaullah | 81 from 63 balls, 4 fours, 9 sixes |
| Mohammad Abbas | 42 from 67 balls |
| England best bowling | Gus Atkinson 3/109 |
Pakistan Began Day 3 With the Match Almost Gone
The scale of the recovery is easier to understand by remembering where Pakistan had been the previous evening.
England had turned their first-innings 453 into a 320-run lead after dismissing Pakistan for 133, continuing a series in which the tourists had repeatedly failed to reach 200.
Then Ollie Robinson struck twice in the opening over of Pakistan’s second innings.
Saim Ayub was dismissed first ball.
Abdullah Shafique followed three deliveries later.
Pakistan were 0 for two.
It looked like another collapse was about to follow the pattern already established at Headingley, Lord’s and on Day 1 at Edgbaston, when Pakistan were bowled out for 133.
By stumps on Day 2, however, Azan Awais and Shan Masood had dragged the score to 52 for two. Our Day 2 report showed how that partnership prevented England from ending the match early.
Day 3 was about whether that resistance could last beyond the first hour.
It did.
Azan Awais and Shan Masood Gave Pakistan Something They Had Barely Had All Series: Time
Pakistan’s batting failures in England had not simply been about getting out.
They had been about how quickly innings disappeared.
Azan and Masood changed that rhythm.
The pair extended their third-wicket partnership to 125 before Azan was dismissed for 59 from 84 balls.
He struck 10 fours and looked increasingly comfortable before Dan Lawrence removed him in the 31st over.
Masood, meanwhile, played the longer innings Pakistan desperately needed.
He reached fifty from 81 balls and moved into the 90s as England were forced to keep bowling beyond the easy early breakthroughs they had become accustomed to throughout the series.
The stand mattered because it pushed Pakistan past 100 without further damage and made England wait.
That sounds basic.
For Pakistan in this series, it was progress.
Masood Missed the Hundred, but His 95 Gave the Innings Structure
Shan Masood fell five runs short of a century.
His 95 came from 148 balls and contained 12 fours.
He was dismissed by Gus Atkinson with Pakistan on 214 for four.
The disappointment of missing three figures should not obscure what the innings achieved.
Pakistan began the day still 268 runs behind.
Masood helped reduce that deficit to something the middle order could attack rather than merely survive.
It was the kind of innings Pakistan had been missing repeatedly during a tour that became increasingly dominated by questions about technique, patience and red-ball preparation.
The Sports Encounter’s wider assessment of Pakistan’s England tour highlighted how their batting had averaged only 152.5 across the first four innings of the series.
Masood’s 95 did not solve that structural problem.
It did show what happened when one senior batter occupied the crease long enough for partnerships to form around him.
Babar Azam Finally Converted a Start
Babar’s 76 from 103 deliveries was important for a different reason.
He had returned to the Test side during a series already slipping away, and Pakistan needed more than reputation from their captain.
This time, they got substance.
Babar struck 11 fours and a six, moved to fifty from 76 balls and added useful runs with Masood and later Saud Shakeel.
His innings was not spectacular.
It did not need to be.
Pakistan required control and occupation after a series in which experienced batters repeatedly failed to stay long enough to influence the game.
Babar gave them both.
The improvement is even more striking against the backdrop of Pakistan’s earlier struggles. Their 194-run defeat at Lord’s triggered a major mid-series rebuild, including seven player changes before Edgbaston. The PCB subsequently confirmed that five uncapped players were among those brought into the squad. The official squad update documented the scale of that reshuffle.
England Still Dragged Pakistan Back Toward the Edge
For all the improvement, Pakistan still threatened to undo their work.
Babar fell at 278.
Saud Shakeel made 29 before Jofra Archer removed him at 306.
Ghazi Ghori followed at 312.
Mohammad Imran was dismissed six runs later.
Pakistan were 318 for eight.
They were still two runs behind England’s first-innings lead.
At that moment, the match looked ready to end on Day 3.
England had broken the middle and lower order.
The new ball was approaching.
Pakistan had two specialist bowlers at the crease.
Then Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas rewrote the session.
Razaullah Did Not Bat Like a No. 9 Trying to Survive
Razaullah’s first fifty came from 43 balls.
It contained three fours and five sixes.
That alone would have qualified as an extraordinary contribution from a debutant fast bowler.
He kept going.
England’s bowlers went shorter.
Razaullah kept swinging.
Spin came on.
He attacked that too.
By the time he was stumped for 81 from 63 balls, he had struck nine sixes and four fours.
Fifty-four of his 81 runs came in sixes alone.
His strike rate was 128.57.
The innings equaled Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes in an innings during a Test debut, a mark the New Zealand fast bowler had held alone since 2008.
That achievement is even more remarkable because Razaullah had already taken four wickets in England’s first innings.
The PCB’s Day 1 report documented how Joe Root became his maiden Test wicket, while the official Day 2 report confirmed figures of four for 148.
Mohammad Abbas Was the Perfect Partner for the Chaos
Razaullah’s innings will dominate the highlights.
Mohammad Abbas made it possible.
Pakistan’s senior fast bowler scored 42 from 67 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes.
He did not attempt to match Razaullah stroke for stroke.
Instead, he stayed in long enough for the debutant to keep attacking.
The ninth-wicket pair added 121 runs.
Pakistan moved from 318 for eight and still behind to 439 for nine and firmly in front.
That partnership may not save the Test.
It completely changed the day.
Pakistan’s lower order had spent most of the series watching England’s tail extend totals. At Lord’s, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue turned England’s 248 for nine into 290 before Pakistan collapsed for 110.
At Edgbaston, Pakistan finally produced their own version.
From 318/8 to 449: The Partnership That Forced Day 4
| Phase | Pakistan score | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|
| After Mohammad Imran’s wicket | 318/8 | Pakistan were still behind and England were close to an innings victory |
| Razaullah reaches 50 | Beyond 350 | Pakistan begin converting survival into a lead |
| Ninth-wicket stand reaches 100 | Past 400 | England’s expected evening chase is delayed |
| Abbas dismissed | 439/9 | The partnership ends after adding 121 |
| Razaullah stumped | 449 all out | England are left needing 130 on Day 4 |
Pakistan’s Full Second-Innings Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | c Brook b Robinson | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Azan Awais | c Cox b Lawrence | 59 | 84 | 10 | 0 | 70.23 |
| Abdullah Shafique | c Root b Robinson | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Shan Masood | c Lawrence b Atkinson | 95 | 148 | 12 | 0 | 64.18 |
| Babar Azam | c Cox b Tongue | 76 | 103 | 11 | 1 | 73.78 |
| Saud Shakeel | c Gay b Archer | 29 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 49.15 |
| Ghazi Ghori | c Cox b Atkinson | 16 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 59.25 |
| Mohammad Imran | c Cox b Atkinson | 4 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 16.66 |
| Razaullah | st Cox b Lawrence | 81 | 63 | 4 | 9 | 128.57 |
| Mohammad Abbas | c Atkinson b Tongue | 42 | 67 | 5 | 2 | 62.68 |
| Mohammad Ali | not out | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Extras | b 15, lb 24, nb 4 | 43 | ||||
| Total | 96.4 overs | 449 | 4.64 RPO |
England Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ollie Robinson | 23 | 8 | 54 | 2 | 2.34 |
| Jofra Archer | 22 | 1 | 120 | 1 | 5.45 |
| Gus Atkinson | 24 | 3 | 109 | 3 | 4.54 |
| Josh Tongue | 22 | 1 | 106 | 2 | 4.81 |
| Dan Lawrence | 4.4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 3.64 |
| Harry Brook | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 |
Pakistan Fall of Wickets
0/1 (Saim Ayub, 0.1), 0/2 (Abdullah Shafique, 0.4), 125/3 (Azan Awais, 30.2), 214/4 (Shan Masood, 49.2), 278/5 (Babar Azam, 62.3), 306/6 (Saud Shakeel, 69.2), 312/7 (Ghazi Ghori, 72.4), 318/8 (Mohammad Imran, 74.4), 439/9 (Mohammad Abbas, 95.1), 449/10 (Razaullah, 96.4).
England’s Bowlers Finally Looked Human
England still took 10 wickets.
They still control the Test.
But for the first time in a long stretch of this series, their seam attack was forced to absorb sustained punishment.
Archer conceded 120 runs from 22 overs.
Atkinson went for 109 from 24.
Tongue conceded 106 from 22.
Robinson remained the control bowler, conceding only 54 from 23 overs and taking two wickets.
England eventually turned to Dan Lawrence for 4.4 overs.
He took two wickets for 17, including Razaullah’s final dismissal.
The contrast with the first two Tests is striking.
England’s seamers had repeatedly dictated both pace and length. Pakistan were usually reacting.
On Day 3, several Pakistan batters forced the bowlers to alter plans.
Why This Day Matters Even if England Chase 130 Comfortably
There is a danger of overstating one good day in a series Pakistan have already lost.
England should still chase 130.
A 3-0 series result remains the most likely outcome.
Pakistan’s problems are not erased because they finally made 449.
Their first innings still lasted only 33.5 overs.
They still conceded 453.
They still began the second innings at 0 for two.
Yet Day 3 matters because it produced evidence that the rebuild contains something usable.
Azan Awais made 59.
Masood made 95.
Babar made 76.
Razaullah produced one of the most unusual debut performances in recent Test cricket.
Mohammad Abbas showed again that he can contribute beyond his primary skill.
The Sports Encounter argued before the series ended that Pakistan’s issue was not simply a lack of players. Our 30-player red-ball rebuild framework specifically included Razaullah among the fast bowlers worth developing.
Edgbaston has accelerated that conversation.
Razaullah Has Turned a Development Selection Into a Serious Test Question
Razaullah arrived in Birmingham as one of several emergency replacements.
The PCB had released seven players after the Lord’s defeat and brought in a heavily changed group for the final Test.
The decision followed the kind of systemic concerns examined in The Sports Encounter’s analysis of the growing criticism around Pakistan’s Test structure.
Three days into his international career, Razaullah has taken four wickets and scored 92 runs across two innings, including one of the most explosive debut-Test knocks ever seen from a fast bowler.
The question is no longer whether he belongs in a development pool.
It is how Pakistan develop him without turning one dramatic performance into an excuse to rush expectations.
What England Need on Day 4
The equation is uncomplicated.
England need 130.
They have an entire day available and a batting order that made 453 in the first innings.
The hosts should win.
The psychological challenge is slightly different.
England spent much of the evening expecting the match to finish on Day 3.
Razaullah and Abbas denied them that conclusion.
Saturday therefore begins with England needing to reset, absorb whatever energy Pakistan gained from the final session and remove any early uncertainty.
The wider World Test Championship context also remains relevant. England entered this Test sixth in the 2025-27 standings after their victories at Headingley and Lord’s, according to the ICC’s latest WTC state-of-play update.
A clean sweep would further strengthen a campaign that looked significantly less secure earlier in the year.
What Pakistan Need on Day 4
Pakistan need something close to perfect.
There is no comfortable defensive total here.
England need only 130.
The visitors therefore require early wickets rather than gradual pressure.
Razaullah has already dismissed Root, Gay, Smith and Robinson in the first innings.
Mohammad Imran bowled economically enough to take two wickets for 47.
Mohammad Ali struck twice.
The challenge is doing it with almost no margin for error.
Pakistan’s recent red-ball history suggests the task is improbable, but not entirely meaningless. Their series in the West Indies showed they could still recover from poor situations when selection and execution aligned.
Edgbaston now offers one final opportunity to turn a better day into something even more memorable.
The Bigger Meaning of Pakistan’s 449
This was not a redemption innings.
It was a reminder.
Pakistan still possess players capable of occupying the crease.
They still possess batters who can build partnerships.
They still possess young cricketers capable of changing the energy around a Test match.
The frustration is that it took until the sixth innings of the series for those qualities to appear together.
The original series preview framed Pakistan’s challenge around converting talent into sustained control.
For one day at Edgbaston, they finally did.
England still need only 130.
Pakistan still face almost certain defeat.
But after weeks of collapses, resets, dropped players and structural questions, Day 3 finally gave the visitors something the series had largely denied them.
A little resistance.
A little belief.
And one more morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the situation after Day 3 of the England vs Pakistan third Test?
Pakistan were bowled out for 449 in their second innings and lead by 129 runs. England need 130 runs on Day 4 to win the Test.
How many runs did Razaullah score?
Razaullah scored 81 from 63 balls, hitting four fours and nine sixes.
How many sixes did Razaullah hit?
He hit nine sixes, equaling Tim Southee’s record for the most sixes in an innings during a player’s Test debut.
Who top-scored for Pakistan?
Shan Masood top-scored with 95 from 148 balls.
How many did Babar Azam score?
Babar scored 76 from 103 balls, including 11 fours and one six.
What was the partnership between Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas?
They added 121 runs for the ninth wicket after Pakistan had slipped to 318 for eight.
How many did Mohammad Abbas score?
Abbas made 42 from 67 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Who was England’s best bowler in Pakistan’s second innings?
Gus Atkinson finished with three wickets for 109 runs. Robinson, Tongue and Lawrence took two wickets each, while Archer claimed one.
What target do England need?
England need 130 runs to win the Test and complete a 3-0 series sweep.
Can Pakistan still win the third Test?
Yes, but the task is extremely difficult. Pakistan must dismiss England for fewer than 130 on Day 4.
