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3rd Test | England vs Pakistan Test Series 2026 | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 9 September 2026
Razaullah, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Arafat Minhas and Mohammad Imran Randhawa are the four new names in Pakistan’s bowling attack for the dead rubber at Edgbaston. All four arrive after a squad overhaul that also cost seven senior players their places following two heavy defeats in the first two Tests. Between them they offer raw pace, left-arm swing, spin and the kind of experience that comes from playing well over a hundred first class matches combined across their domestic careers so far.
Razaullah is the quickest of the group, a 21 year old from Mardan with 30 wickets in just 8 first class matches at an average of 20.86, including three five wicket hauls. He also scored a first class century and half century in the same match, an unusual double for a strike bowler this young.
| Bowler | Role | FC Wickets | FC Bowling Average |
| Razaullah | Right-arm fast | 30 in 8 matches | 20.86 |
| Mohammad Imran Jnr | Left-arm fast | 23 in 8 matches | 30.86 |
| Arafat Minhas | Left-arm spin allrounder | 13 in 17 matches | 30.00 |
| Mohammad Imran Randhawa | Right-arm medium allrounder | 110 in 58 matches | 34.83 |
Mohammad Imran Jnr offers a different kind of threat at 25, with 80 T20 wickets in 67 matches proving he can adapt across formats even though he is not the fastest bowler in this group. Arafat Minhas adds a batting option too, having scored 684 first class runs at 34.20 including a maiden century of 152 not out.
Mohammad Imran Randhawa is by far the most experienced of the newcomers, with 110 wickets from 58 first-class matches at 34.83 and over 2,000 runs to go with it. That kind of workload matters on a ground like Edgbaston, where long spells often decide which side controls the middle session.
None of the four has played a Test yet, which puts real pressure on a fixture already being treated as a dead rubber. Ubaid Shah, who made his debut against West Indies last month, remains the closest thing to a settled young bowler in the squad, with 74 first-class wickets of his own at 25.59.
Harry Brook has been the standout batter of the series so far, scoring 91 at Headingley after being dropped early, then adding 15 and 34 at Lord’s. Jordan Cox has also been consistent with 73, 55 and 11 across the three completed innings.
| Batter | Position | Test 1 Score | Test 2 Innings 1 | Test 2 Innings 2 |
| Ben Duckett | No. 2 | 36 | 17 | 1 |
| Jordan Cox | No. 3 | 73 | 55 | 11 |
| Joe Root | No. 4 | 66 | 4 | 24 |
| Harry Brook | No. 5 | 91 | 15 | 34 |
| Dan Lawrence | No. 6 | 51 | 17 | 54 |
Ollie Pope was not selected for either of the first two Tests, so his inclusion in this squad does not carry any recent batting form to lean on either way. Ali Usman’s 5-wicket haul at Headingley remains the only time a Pakistan bowler has really troubled this top order all series.
Edgbaston has hosted 56 Tests, with the side batting second winning 23 times against 18 for the side batting first, and 15 draws. The long-term first innings average sits at 311, though more recent matches suggest scoring has crept up well above that historically.
The pitch generally favors batting and offers seam bowlers more help than spinners, which puts extra weight on Razaullah and Imran Randhawa rather than Arafat Minhas to make an early impact with the new ball in helpful conditions.
Seven players lost their places for this Test, including wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, opener Imam-ul-Haq and spinner Ali Usman, despite Usman having taken the only five-wicket haul by a Pakistan bowler in the series so far. The coaching staff changed too, with interim coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke replacing the previous setup after two defeats by an innings margin and 194 runs.
Pakistan have won 23 of 92 Tests against England, with 39 draws, so a dead rubber will not change that picture much. What it can do is answer whether any of these four unproven names belong in this England vs Pakistan Test series bowlers conversation going forward.
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Who was dropped from Pakistan’s squad for the 3rd Test?
Seven players were released, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Ali Usman. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul also left the coaching staff.
What is the head-to-head Test record between England and Pakistan?
England lead with 30 wins from 92 Tests played across history. Pakistan have won 23 of those matches, with the remaining 39 games ending in draws.
How many wickets did Pakistan’s bowlers take in the first two Tests?
Pakistan’s attack managed 30 wickets across three England innings in two Tests. Mohammad Abbas was the standout performer with 9 wickets at Lord’s alone.
When does the England vs Pakistan 3rd Test start?
The 3rd Test begins on Tuesday, September 9, 2026, at Edgbaston. It is scheduled to run for five full days, finishing on September 13 if it goes the distance.
Where is the England vs Pakistan 3rd Test being played?
Edgbaston in Birmingham hosts the deciding dead rubber of the series. The ground has a capacity of around 25,000 and is the home of Warwickshire.
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