Pakistan’s star batter, Babar Azam, has been going through a lean patch in Test cricket for the last one and half years. In the first Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, he faltered yet again as he scored a two-ball duck. As a result, Pakistan were left tottering at 16 for the loss of three wickets in 8.2 overs.
When Azam came into bat, Pakistan had already lost the wickets of Abdullah Shafique and skipper Shan Masood. Shoriful Islam was bowling to him after picking up the wicket of Masood. Islam bowled one down the leg, and Azam tried to glance it to the fine leg. However, all it took was an inside edge of his bat and Liton Das completed a spectacular catch. Das dived to his right and grabbed the ball to pick up the crucial wicket of Azam.
Babar Azam has been shambolic in Test cricket since 2023
Babar Azam’s numbers in Test cricket since January 2023 are shambolic. He has scored 253 runs at a dismal average of 21.08. In this period, he hasn’t even scored a single half-century in Test cricket. Following his dismissal, fans jumped to social media to mock Pakistan’s former captain. Here’s a look at some of the reactions:
Babar Azam hasn’t scored a single century since the Asia Cup 2023 opener against Nepal. He stepped down from captaincy in all formats after Pakistan got knocked out of the group stage in the ODI World Cup 2023. However, he was reinstated as Pakistan’s limited overs captain ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan got knocked out of the group stage in that tournament as well after losing to USA and India.
Reports of tension between Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the Pakistan dressing room had surfaced, raising concerns within the team. Allegedly, differences have been growing between the two star players, potentially affecting team dynamics.
Additionally, Babar Azam has faced criticism for his recent performances, particularly for not scoring heavily in crucial matches. As Pakistan’s key batsman, his struggles with form have put him under increasing pressure. These issues, if not addressed, could impact the team’s morale and performance in upcoming competitions, making it a challenging period for Pakistan cricket.
