England vs Pakistan: Razaullah, 21, hits remarkable 81 off 63 balls featuring nine sixes to force final Test into fourth day

England were denied a series sweep of Pakistan inside three days of the final Test at Edgbaston after a remarkable display of six-hitting from 21-year-old Razaullah late on Friday.

Pakistan enjoyed easily their finest day of what's otherwise been a dismal series but were still trailing by two when their eighth wicket fell early into the evening session, only for Razaullah to smash 81 off just 63 deliveries, clearing the ropes a staggering nine times to equal Tim Southee's record for a debutant.

He shared in a 121-run partnership with Mohammad Abbas (42), who himself hit two sixes before picking out point off Josh Tongue in the closing overs, while Razaullah's fun was finally ended - and the day's play - as he was stumped off Dan Lawrence (2-17).

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England, guilty of losing the plot in the final session, will now look to chase down 130 on day four, a far stiffer target than initially looked likely, albeit one they should still reel in to clinch a first ever home series whitewash of Pakistan.

The tourists might be cursing not testing England further, with Shan Masood (95) and Babar Azam (76) both spurning golden opportunities to score the first century of the series.

While Masood can count himself a touch unfortunate, out to a screamer of a catch by Lawrence - one-handed, diving low to his right in the slips - Babar's dismissal was much more of a head-scratcher, the captain walking straight into an obvious short-ball trap set by England on the stroke of tea.

That wicket had seemed to signal the end of the Pakistan resistance, with four wickets falling for 40 runs before Razaullah very much had other plans and pushed things into a fourth day with some almighty swings of the bat.

Resuming the third morning on 52-2, the visitors had been watchful to start, with only 15 runs added from a rather sedate opening 7.2 overs, before they suddenly sparked into life and smashed 117 off the next 20 - the wicket of Azan Awais (59) to a feathered edge down leg off Lawrence the only blot on their morning's work.

England's four-pronged pace attack hadn't experienced such a session of toil this series without reward, but were improved after the lunch interval, with Gus Atkinson's initial eight-over burst particularly impressive as he finally secured his second wicket of the series, Masood undone by Lawrence's brilliance in the slips.

Babar was Pakistan's next bright hope for a hundred, what would have been his first in Test cricket for almost four years, but England turned to Jofra Archer and Tongue for a bit of bouncer theory and Babar simply couldn't resist taking it on despite repeated warnings.

It was Tongue (2-106) who finally got his man, Babar gloving one behind, while Archer (1-120) accounted for Saud Shakeel (29) soon after the tea break with another brute of a short ball that he could only balloon to short-leg.

A couple of terrific catches from Jordan Cox behind the stumps then accounted for debutants Ghazi Ghori (16) and Mohammad Imran (4) as Atkinson (3-109) located their inside and outside edges, respectively.

But Pakistan's third debutant, Razaullah, having already impressed with the ball - claiming four first-innings wickets, including that of England's leading Test run-scorer Joe Root in his first over - put on yet another show with an extraordinary display of ball-striking to not only see his side into a lead, but a 129-run advantage at that.

Beyond even his boundary-clearing blitz, there was terrific drama late on when he had an lbw decision against Lawrence overturned on review, only for him to perish the very next ball and what would prove to be the last of the day.

Razaullah: I just had to bat and get Pakistan another day

Razaullah, speaking to Sky Sports Cricket after his 81 off 63 balls:

"I just had to bat, you are the ones who got to enjoy it.

"I was planning to take it longer and deeper - 81 runs is not bad though.

"I was just trying to provide support for the other batters and trying to take it as deep as possible.

"There was no point at which I didn't enjoy it or when I was scared.

"I won't give any messages to the batters - they can do their bit - but I really, really enjoyed it.

"I was wanting the strike, and overall I wanted to keep the strike as long as possible to get Pakistan another day."

Urooj: Razaullah provided spark | 'Pakistan have to believe'

Sky Sports Cricket's Urooj Mumtaz:

"That was simply sensational. A perfectly written first chapter of his Test career. All that passion, the flair of Pakistan cricket.

"One 21-year-old who wasn't even on the [squad] list gets on the plane and gets his baggy green - Joe Root is his first Test wicket, a four-for on debut, and then 81 with nine sixes - all of Edgbaston and all of Pakistan were on their feet.

"He's come off the plane and has absolutely no baggage. That's the spark, the energy, the exuberance of youth that you are looking for.

"There was a smile on his face and he was not overwhelmed by the occasion. He didn't look in awe of it - he almost looked like he believed.

"If anyone is a betting person, after what's happened today, it's almost like that dimming light has been ignited again.

"You never know. Razaullah provides Pakistan a point of difference with pace, and they'll have to believe."

Watch day four of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Saturday. Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW

England vs Pakistan - results and schedule

All games live on Sky Sports

• First Test (Headingley) - England won by innings and 103 runs
• Second Test (Lord's) - England won by 194 runs
• Third Test (Edgbaston) - September 9-13

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