Razaullah offers Pakistan glimpse of audacity even as Babar embodies loss of hope

After the captain underscored his team’s new reality, a fast bowler he didn’t even know was coming gave fans a little of the old dream It was still morning when Babar Azam came in to bat at Edgbaston.

The Test was only 45 minutes old but you could already see which direction it was heading in. Pakistan were three wickets down.

The floodlights were on, a thick smear of black cloud was moving slowly over the ground, there were odd spots of rain in the air.

Ollie Robinson was bowling from one end, with the keeper standing up and five slips spread in a line just behind, and Jofra Archer was on at the other, four overs into his spell and only just warming up.

It was a hell of a time to be batting. But then it always seems to be, lately. Continue reading...