Pakistan’s star batter, Babar Azam, endured a tough time with the bat during the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. Babar, who has been struggling with form lately, followed up a disappointing T20 World Cup with another underwhelming performance in red-ball cricket.
In the first innings, he was dismissed for a two-ball duck, and though he was dropped early in his second innings, he couldn’t make the most of the chance, managing just 22 runs. Ranked third by the ICC in Test cricket, Babar has failed to pass fifty in his last 14 Test innings, with his last notable knock being a 161 against New Zealand in December 2022.
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‘You score all your runs in the nets’, Basit Ali’s Firm Take On Babar Azam
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali criticized Babar, suggesting that his extensive net sessions aren’t translating into match performances, advising him to cut back on practice knocks.
“Just stop batting in the nets. You score all your runs in the nets, what will you do in the match? You don’t play where you need to bat for two hours, but you play for two hours in the nets. Just do skipping and knocking in the practice,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.
Pakistan endured their first-ever Test defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in the opening Test, marking a continuation of their win-less streak in home red-ball cricket. This streak now stretches to five defeats and four draws, with their last home victory dating back to 2021 when they beat South Africa in Rawalpindi.
“We have to look upon the mistakes we’ve made collectively and work on them,” Masood said after losing his fourth successive test match since he was named test captain before the series in Australia late last year.
“I apologize to the whole nation and hope we will do much better in the next game,” he added.
Poor decisions marred Pakistan’s performance, beginning with questionable team selections that saw them opt for an all-pace attack. Additionally, their decision to declare in the first innings before reaching 500, with four wickets still in hand, also came under scrutiny.
Pakistan’s defeat turned even more upsetting after its ranking dropped in WTC 2023-25 points table, while Bangladesh hopped onto the 6th position after their victory.
