- By Sunny Daud
- Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Razaullah Mashwani could not have asked for a more memorable start to his Test career. The 21-year-old made his debut for Pakistan at Edgbaston against England with very little international experience. When he finally got his chance with the bat, Pakistan were in deep trouble at 312 for seven and staring at the possibility of an innings defeat.
What happened next changed the entire picture.
Nine Sixes In A Stunning Knock
Mashwani smashed 81 from just 63 deliveries, hitting nine sixes in a fearless innings against an England attack that included Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue.
His big hitting helped Pakistan move away from danger and also put his name in the record books. The nine sixes matched the most hit by a batter in a Test innings on debut.
For a player playing his first Test, it was quite an introduction.
He Had Already Shown His Batting Ability
Although Mashwani was relatively unknown at the international level, his batting potential was not completely new.
Born in Mardan, Peshawar, he had played only eight first-class matches before making his Test debut. He made his first-class debut in November 2025 and had already scored a century for Peshawar, where he opened the batting.
However, batting is not his main role.
Root Wicket Shows His Bowling Ability
Mashwani is primarily a fast bowler, and he made an immediate impact with the ball as well.
He dismissed England’s batting great Joe Root with only his fourth delivery in Test cricket. His bowling figures later became expensive, but the early breakthrough showed why Pakistan had backed him.
Thrown Into The Deep End
Mashwani’s selection came at a difficult time for Pakistan.
After their defeat at Lord’s, Pakistan made major changes to their team. Seven players were dropped, while two members of the coaching staff were also removed.
Mashwani was brought into the side at short notice, leaving him with very little time to prepare for the biggest stage of his career.
Instead of allowing the situation to overwhelm him, he decided to enjoy it.
“I enjoyed the standing ovation,” Mashwani said at the press conference. “I like to enjoy life and I was relishing the moment.”
No Fear Against England’s Pacers
That fearless attitude was also visible in his batting.
Mashwani did not allow England’s pace attack to dictate the way he played. He waited for balls he felt he could attack and backed himself when the opportunity came.
“I was being selective with which balls to slog, but they all seemed within range,” he said.
He also made it clear that England’s pace did not scare him.
“I wasn’t scared of pace,” Mashwani said. “I wanted to punish the balls from Archer that landed on a hard length.”
Archer And Atkinson Come Under Attack
The debutant was particularly aggressive against the short ball, something he admitted was one of his favourite deliveries to face.
“My favourite ball (to face) is the short ball,” Mashwani said with a smile.
Gus Atkinson was hit for three consecutive sixes, while Archer was also sent over the boundary three times in one over.
By the time Mashwani was dismissed for 81, Pakistan had moved from a position of serious trouble to one where England had a fourth-innings chase on their hands.
‘I Just Believed In Myself’
Mashwani’s approach throughout the innings was surprisingly simple.
He did not focus on the situation or the reputation of the bowlers. Instead, he backed himself and looked to stay positive.
“I just believed in myself,” he said. “I thought if I played 50 balls, I’d get a positive result. And thankfully that happened.”
For a 21-year-old playing his first Test, it was a statement that Pakistan will hope is only the beginning.