The passport story is a myth; 'Rajullah unleashed a storm with the bat at Edgbaston.

Pakistan's Rajaullah grabbed headlines with a blistering knock of 81 off just 63 balls in the second innings of the Edgbaston Test against England. However, alongside his batting performance, a story circulating about his passport also drew attention. The Pakistani cricketer has since dismissed the report as completely false.

Claims had spread across social media—including Facebook, X, and Instagram—and various news outlets that Rajaullah did not possess a passport when he was selected for the Pakistan squad touring England, and that one was hastily arranged at the last minute to send him there.

Rajaullah dispelled these rumors at the end of the third day of the Edgbaston Test. When asked about the passport issue, he stated, "The news regarding the passport is fake. I obtained my passport a year ago."

Yet, his batting at Edgbaston was the day's biggest story, overshadowing the passport saga. Coming in at number nine, Rajaullah scored 81 runs off just 63 balls. As he departed, both the Pakistan dressing room and the spectators in the stands rose to applaud him.

His explosive innings helped Pakistan recover from a precarious position. The team, which had been facing the threat of an innings defeat, ultimately managed to set a target that gave them a fighting chance in the fourth innings against England.

Rajaullah thoroughly enjoyed his time at the crease. Speaking at the post-match press conference, he said, "People standing and applauding me—I enjoyed the whole experience. I like to enjoy life, and I was savoring that moment."

Although he batted at number nine, batting is not unfamiliar territory for him; he has even scored centuries as an opener in first-class cricket. However, making his Test debut at a venue like Edgbaston presented a formidable challenge.

England's pace attack had troubled Pakistan's specialist batsmen for five consecutive innings. Rajaullah, too, was frequently targeted with short-pitched deliveries. Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and Josh Tongue repeatedly tested him with short balls—a tactic that had troubled several Pakistani batsmen, including Babar Azam, throughout the tour. Razaullah, however, played aggressively against the short ball rather than adopting a defensive approach. In his words, "I was being selective about which balls to slog. But they all seemed within my reach. I wanted to extend my innings as long as possible."

He also mentioned that he was unfazed by Archer's pace. Razaullah said, "I wasn't afraid of the pace. I wanted to punish Archer's deliveries that hit the hard length. There is nothing to fear when playing for the country; I was simply enjoying myself."

The Pakistani batter also made it clear that the short ball is his favorite. He said, "The short ball is my favorite. I just kept faith in myself. I thought that if I could face 50 balls, I would get a positive result—and fortunately, that is exactly what happened."

Having displayed such fearless batting in his debut Test, Razaullah has now become a major talking point in Pakistan cricket.