Pakistan Collapse to 26-4 at Edgbaston as Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer Take Two Wickets Each

Pakistan’s third Test at Edgbaston began with a collapse that left the tourists slumped to 133 all out, with the BBC describing the mood in the Pakistan dressing room as things went “from bad to worse.”

“slumped to 133 all out”

BBC

The BBC said former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja judged Pakistan’s “technique and mindset” as “pretty ordinary,” while also pointing to “mental fatigue and turmoil in the dugout.”

BBC

In Birmingham, the Kuwait Times reported Pakistan slumped to 26-4 in the third Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday, with Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer taking two wickets each.

The BBC also tied the early damage to England’s bowling after Joe Root won the toss, noting Pakistan’s top five were all gone with the score on the Thwaite Memorial scoreboard showing just 48.

Even as Pakistan’s innings ended at 133, the BBC framed the situation as a record chase and a series problem, saying it was the 12th time a team’s top five have all been out for single figures in a Test match and the first time it happened in the first innings.

After the earlier collapse, Pakistan’s debutant Razaullah “introduced himself” by lifting the spirits of Pakistan supporters, with the BBC saying he made an 81 off 63 balls coming in at number nine.

The BBC quoted Ramiz Raja praising the debutant’s impact, saying: "This is the attitude that was needed," and describing Razaullah as someone with “a strong body language and who believes in himself.”

BBC

In a separate account, the ICC reported that Razaullah won praise for his “superb spell on debut” by collecting two wickets on the opening day at Edgbaston, dismissing Joe Root and Emilio Gay as the hosts reached 156/4 at stumps.

Nasser Hussain also praised the spell in commentary, telling Sky Sports: "It is nice to watch that spell from Razaullah that had something, that had a point of difference, had some pace."

The ICC further said Razaullah had played just eight first-class matches prior to his Test debut, and that the hosts reached 156/4 at stumps after Pakistan were dismissed for just 133 earlier in the day.

As the third Test moved toward day four, the New York Times said Pakistan kept the final Test alive thanks to an extraordinary ninth-wicket stand between debutant Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas, with Razaullah smashing nine huge sixes in his 81 off 63 balls.

“left England the target of making 130 on Saturday”

The New York Times

The New York Times added that Pakistan, dismissed for 449, left England the target of making 130 on Saturday to win the final game, while also noting the partnership was ended on the stroke of 7pm on the third day when Razaullah was stumped going for a 10th six.

Reuters in Global Banking & Finance Review described how Ollie Robinson struck early in Pakistan’s second innings, leaving England closing in on a 3-0 series whitewash, and said Pakistan reached 52-2 before rain ended play early on day two.

Pakistan’s batting coach Mike Smith was quoted by Reuters saying, “He knows what he’s doing with the ball and he wears you down a bit so it’s a challenge,” as Pakistan sought a way to combat Robinson’s consistency.

With England needing 130 and the series already shaped by England’s dominance, the stakes were explicit in the New York Times framing of Pakistan’s fight to keep the final Test alive, even after a tour that had seen them fail to reach 200 in their five previous Test innings on tour.