Razaullah Mohammad Ali for Pakistan vs England. Image Credits: AFPRazaullah has finally put an end to the unusual passport story that followed his surprise call-up to Pakistan’s Test squad in England. The young pacer was suddenly thrust into the national setup after the Pakistan Cricket Board made sweeping changes to its squad midway through the series. Amid the chaos, social media reports claimed that Razaullah did not even possess a passport when he was selected. The youngster has now addressed the claim himself, revealing what the actual situation was.Razaullah admits having had a passport for a long timeThe youngster’s rapid rise to the Pakistan Test team was accompanied by an unusual story that quickly gained traction on social media.After the PCB announced the 21-year-old among the players brought into the squad for the third Test against England, reports began circulating that the board was unable to contact him. Some social media posts went a step further, claiming that the cricketer did not have a passport despite being selected for an international tour.However, Razaullah has now directly rejected the passport part of that story. The youngster made it clear that his passport was not suddenly produced after his selection and had actually been in his possession for a considerable period."The passport story is fake. My passport was made a year ago," he shared to the media.His clarification effectively separates the genuine confusion surrounding his sudden call-up from the exaggerated version that emerged online. Razaullah may have been difficult to reach when the PCB needed to inform him about his selection, but according to the pacer himself, a lack of passport was never the issue.Also Read- Watch- Babar Azam Throws Away Well-Deserved Century In 3rd Test Vs EnglandRazaullah opens up on how he almost missed his maiden Pakistan call-upWhile the passport claim may have been exaggerated, the cricketer's own account shows just how unexpectedly his first Pakistan call-up arrived.The young pacer had been attending a camp at the National Cricket Academy before returning home. He was not expecting a Test selection when the call eventually came.Explaining how he found out about the England tour, Razaullah shared his side of the story. "I was at the NCA for the camp & then I went home. The next day, I received a call while I was praying Fajr. They asked me to come to Lahore, but I didn’t know what it was about. Previously, they had told me to be ready for the Asian Games. So, I went to the NCA with that in mind, and then I found out that I was going to England."Razaullah had been fast-tracked alongside Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig and Mohammad Imran Randhawa after Pakistan made seven changes following their heavy defeat at Lord's.Razaullah becomes the new sensation for Pakistan on England debutOnce the 21-year-old finally reached the playing XI, the questions surrounding his unexpected selection quickly became secondary.The 21-year-old made his Test debut at Edgbaston and immediately showed why his raw pace had caught the attention of Pakistan's selectors. He finished the first innings with 4-148, after repeatedly hitting speeds above 140 kph.With the bat too, coming in at No. 9 with Pakistan struggling at 312/7 in their second innings, he launched an extraordinary counterattack. Razaullah smashed 81 off just 63 balls, striking four fours and nine sixes as he took the England attack on.His innings helped Pakistan reach 449 and avoid an innings defeat. More importantly, he joined Mohammad Abbas in a 121-run ninth-wicket partnership, dragging Pakistan from 318/8 to 439/9 and giving England another innings to negotiate.Across his debut Test, the pace sensation finished with 92 runs from two innings at a strike rate of 124.32, while his four wickets came in a single innings.Also Read- Women’s Asia Cup Winners List With Captains
