Razaullah's Test Debut: Four Wickets, 81 Runs and Nine Sixes vs England
Published on September 12, 2026
Summary Overview: Debutant Razaullah stunned England at Edgbaston with 81 off 63 balls and nine sixes, equaling a world record, after taking four wickets including Joe Root.
A Star Is Born: Razaullah's Fearless Debut Lights Up Edgbaston
What did Razaullah do on debut?
The 21-year-old took four wickets (including Joe Root as his first) and then smashed 81 off 63 balls with nine sixes, one of the greatest all-round Test debuts in memory.
What record did he set?
His nine sixes equaled Tim Southee's record for the most sixes in an innings on Test debut, and also matched the most by any batter in a Test innings on English soil.
Why did it matter so much?
Pakistan were staring at an innings defeat. Razaullah's assault dragged them back into the game and set England a target, turning a lost cause into a contest.
The Story: Fearless From the First Ball
Every so often cricket produces a debut so complete that a new star arrives fully formed. At Edgbaston, in the third Test against England, Razaullah did exactly that. A 21-year-old fast bowler who was not even on Pakistan's original squad list ended up taking four wickets and playing one of the most explosive innings the game has seen from a debutant.
A quick word for newcomers: a Test match is cricket's five-day format, where each team usually bats twice. Razaullah was picked as a bowler, so the fireworks he produced with the bat were a complete surprise.
The Bowling Debut: Root First Blood
Razaullah's dream start actually began with the ball. On day one, his fourth delivery in Test cricket trapped England's Joe Root, one of the finest batters of the era, leg before wicket (out because the ball would have hit the stumps). It was the perfect first Test victim.
He kept going, adding the wicket of Emilio Gay and finishing with figures of 4 for 148 as England piled up 453. The runs were expensive, but four wickets on debut against a strong England lineup was a serious statement from a young quick.
The Innings That Changed Everything
The real magic came later. Pakistan, already 2-0 down in the series, were bowled out for a paltry 133 in their first innings and trailed by a massive 320 runs. Batting again, they slumped to 318 for 8, still two runs short of even making England bat a second time. An innings defeat, one of cricket's most emphatic losses, looked certain.
Then Razaullah, coming in at number nine, decided to attack. He took on England's fearsome pace trio of Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, and he did it by targeting the short ball that had troubled Pakistan's specialist batters all series.
The result was breathtaking. Razaullah raced to a fifty off just 43 balls, the fastest half-century by a Pakistan player on Test debut, and did not slow down. He finished with 81 off 63 balls, striking four fours and an astonishing nine sixes, before being stumped (out when the wicketkeeper removes the bails with the batter out of his crease) off Dan Lawrence with the very last ball of the day.
The Stand That Saved Pakistan
He did not do it alone. Razaullah added 121 for the ninth wicket with the unlikely Mohammad Abbas (42), a partnership that flipped the entire match. From the brink of an innings defeat, Pakistan reached 449 all out and set England a target of 130 to win, forcing the game into a fourth day and denying England a three-day sweep.
The Records Tumble
Razaullah's innings did not just entertain, it rewrote the record books:
- His nine sixes equaled Tim Southee's record for the most sixes in an innings on Test debut.
- Those nine sixes also matched the most by any batter in a Test innings in England, a mark previously held by Ben Stokes at Lord's in the 2023 Ashes.
- His 43-ball fifty is the fastest by a Pakistan batter on Test debut, beating Faheem Ashraf's 52-ball effort from 2018.
- He became only the second Pakistan batter to score a fifty on Test debut while batting at No. 9 or lower.
- The 121-run stand with Abbas was the first century partnership for the ninth wicket or lower by any team in England since 2014.
The Man Behind the Fireworks
What made the day even more endearing was Razaullah's personality afterwards. Speaking in Urdu, the humble youngster deflected all the praise, saying he likes to enjoy life and was relishing the moment of the standing ovation from the Edgbaston crowd.
He hit the ball so hard that he broke two bats during the innings, revealing with a grin that he carries six in his bag. Asked about facing a bowler as quick as Jofra Archer, his answer summed up his fearless approach: "I wasn't scared at all." He put his success down to a simple belief that if he survived his first 50 balls, the runs would come.
Yet for all the swagger, he stayed grounded, thanking the Almighty, insisting the achievement was not his alone, and calling this "just the start of the journey."
Turning Point
The match, and arguably Razaullah's career, turned the moment he decided to counterpunch rather than survive. At 318 for 8, Pakistan were seconds from an innings defeat and a meek series whitewash. By taking the aggressive option against England's quicks, Razaullah did what none of Pakistan's frontline batters had managed all series. Every six not only lifted the crowd but chipped away at England's control, and by the time he was dismissed, a certain home victory inside three days had become a fourth-day chase.
Stat Corner
Razaullah's Debut by the Numbers
| Metric / Statistic | Value |
| Bowling | 4 for 148 (first wicket: Joe Root) |
| Batting | 81 off 63 balls |
| Sixes | 9 (joint world record on debut) |
| Fours | 4 |
| Strike Rate | 128.57 |
| Milestone | Fastest debut fifty (Pakistan) — 43 balls |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Razaullah?
A 21-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder from Pakistan who made a record-breaking Test debut against England at Edgbaston in 2026.
How many sixes did Razaullah hit on debut?
Nine, equaling Tim Southee's record for the most sixes in an innings on a Test debut.
Who was Razaullah's first Test wicket?
England's Joe Root, trapped leg before wicket with just his fourth delivery in Test cricket.
Did Pakistan win the match?
Razaullah's innings forced the game into a fourth day and set England 130 to win, giving Pakistan a fighting chance after being on the brink of an innings defeat.
How was he finally dismissed?
He was stumped off the bowling of Dan Lawrence with the last ball of day three, after scoring 81.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 England vs Pakistan 2026 Test Series Guide