From obscurity to smashing sixes: Pakistan's Razaullah rises to stardom

A young Razaullah arrived in the northern Pakistani city of Mardan with his two elder brothers, dreaming of making it big in cricket with his thunderbolt deliveries and powerful hitting.

His brother Samiullah did not want his sibling to become a truck loader like him, and made sure the tall, strapping fast bowler went to the town's cricket academy on his way to playing for his country.

What did Razaullah do on his Test debut?

Razaullah dismissed one of the world's best batters, Joe Root, with his fourth ball on Test debut before smashing nine sixes in a sensational innings of 81 against England at Edgbaston.

The 21-year-old's fearless batting brought Pakistan back from the brink of an innings defeat on Friday, as he added a fighting 121 runs for the ninth wicket alongside Mohammad Abbas, who scored 42.

How did people react to his innings?

His sensational hits, some landing in the under-construction hotel adjacent to the stadium, caused a sensation from England's Midlands to Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa back home.

Commentator Urooj Mumtaz, a former Pakistan women's captain, called it the beauty of Pakistan's raw talent, saying he batted fearlessly and entertained everyone watching. Razaullah himself admitted he simply wanted to entertain others and enjoy himself, telling Sky in post-match comments, "I just had to bat, you are the ones who get to enjoy it."

How did Razaullah get picked for the Pakistan squad?

Just like his sensational Edgbaston knock, Razaullah's induction to the Pakistan team came out of the blue.

Smarting from humiliating defeats in the first two Tests, Pakistan withdrew seven players in a shock reaction and drafted as many new ones, with the unheralded and uncapped Razaullah among them.

Where did Razaullah come from?

The unassuming young man left his remote village of Wari in the hilly parts of Upper Dir, an area close to Lower Dir, from where another fast bowler, Naseem Shah, emerged in 2019.

He endeared himself to everyone at the Mardan academy for his obsession with bowling as fast as former Pakistan express pacer Shoaib Akhtar, and for his ability to clear the boundary off many deliveries bowled to him.

How did Razaullah earn the nickname 'Shobby'?

Mardan and Abbottabad coach Ahmed Said told AFP earlier this year that Razaullah came for Under-19 trials in 2023 wearing spikes bigger than his size, and with his first delivery sent the batter staggering with his speed. Said said he asked Razaullah not to bowl another delivery for fear of injuring an inexperienced young batter.

Said recalled that Razaullah always wanted the Number 14 shirt that Akhtar used to wear, insisting on it for the National Twenty20 Cup and getting it, albeit two sizes too big, which led teammates to start calling him Shobby.

Who helped Razaullah's rise through Pakistan cricket?

Former Pakistan coach Abdul Rehman spotted Razaullah in a Twenty20 tournament in Quetta and recruited him for the Rawalpindiz team in the Pakistan Super League, where he impressed with his speed. Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed helped his growth at the High Performance Centre in Lahore, from where he went on to England.

His idol Akhtar was impressed with his play, saying on television that his intent and fearless batting was exactly what Pakistan's players had been missing in earlier matches. Akhtar added that Razaullah is a product of the Pakistan Cricket Board's pathway, and it is now the coaches' duty to manage him properly so he can progress further.