Record nine sixes on Test debut! Meet Pakistan’s new pace hope Razaullah

Razaullah’s Test debut came at a difficult time for Pakistan, as the fast bowler was brought into the playing XI as one of seven changes for the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston. He had played only eight first-class matches before making his international debut. During the match, Razaullah quickly made his presence felt with the ball, bowling at good pace and dismissing England batters Joe Root and Jamie Smith. However, it was his batting that grabbed most of the attention.

When Razaullah came to the crease, Pakistan were 312/7 and facing the threat of an innings defeat on Friday. What happened next saw the debutant become one of the biggest talking points of the Test.

Razaullah played an attacking knock of 81 off just 63 balls, hitting nine sixes against an England pace attack that included Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue. His aggressive innings helped Pakistan escape a difficult situation and also earned him a place in the record books. His nine sixes equalled the record for the most sixes by a batter in a Test innings on debut.

However, his stunning performance at Edgbaston was not completely unexpected, as the Mardan-born cricketer had already shown his batting ability in domestic cricket.

He made his first-class debut in Nov 2025 and scored a century for Peshawar in one of his early matches after opening the innings.

Despite his batting skills, Razaullah’s main role remains that of a fast bowler.

He gave an early indication of his ability with the ball at Edgbaston when he dismissed England great Joe Root with his fourth delivery in Test cricket. Although his bowling figures later became expensive, but the wicket showed why Pakistan had backed him during a period of major changes in the team.

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After Pakistan’s defeat at Lord’s, the team went through a major overhaul, with seven players dropped and two coaches also removed. Razaullah was added to the XI at short notice and had very little time to prepare for international cricket.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed, he embraced the opportunity.

“I enjoyed the standing ovation,” Razaullah said with a smile at the press conference. “I like to enjoy life and I was relishing the moment.”

His calm nature was also clear in his batting. Razaullah faced England’s pace attack without fear, trusting his own ability instead of worrying about his opponents.

“I was being selective with which balls to slog, but they all seemed within range,” he said casually. “I wanted to take it as deep as possible. I wasn’t scared of pace. I wanted to punish the balls from Archer that landed on a hard length. There’s nothing to be scared of when you’re playing for your country. I was just enjoying myself.”

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By the time Razaullah was dismissed for 81, Pakistan had turned the match around. Instead of facing an innings defeat, they had put England in a position where they needed to chase a target in the fourth innings.

“I just believed in myself. I thought if I played 50 balls, I’d get a positive result. And thankfully that happened,” he said.