The former Pakistani skipper Babar Azam’s difficult phase in Test cricket persists as his performance in the second match of the two-game series against Bangladesh ended on a disappointing note with 11 runs. This dismissal extends his unfortunate streak of not scoring a Test fifty to 616 days, drawing criticism from fans.
Pakistan managed to post 274 runs in the first innings on Day 2, putting themselves in a strong position, especially after their fast bowlers reduced Bangladesh to a precarious 26 for six within the first seven overs. However, Bangladesh mounted an impressive comeback, thanks to a 165-run partnership between Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The visitors ended their innings with a total of 212, just 12 runs short of Pakistan’s score.
On Day 4, Pakistan aimed to build on their slim lead but faced early setbacks, losing six wickets for just 81 runs in the opening hour. Among those dismissed was Babar Azam, whose ongoing struggle has seen his Test average fall below 45. His last half-century in the format was during the first Test against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022.
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Despite the mounting criticism for his extended slump which has cast doubt on his ability to join or replace members of the ‘Fab Four’ – Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, Babar Azam still has the support of his teammates.
Salman Agha, among others, has stood by Babar, emphasizing the challenges every player faces during lean periods in their careers. During the press conference, Salman Agha defended Babar Azam by saying that his teammate is a world-class player who has scored consistently in the last five years. Salman showed confidence as he said that Babar will soon score runs for Pakistan, adding that it is normal for every cricketer to go through such phase. He asked the reporters to also focus on other 10 players of the team and said that it is fine if Babar is struggling in present times.
As far as the second test match is concerned, Bangladesh is in a strong position but they need to bat sensibly. Tomorrow (3 September) is the fifth day of the second test match which is being played at Rawalpindi and Pakistan has given the target of 185 runs to Bangladesh to win the match. By the end of the day 4, Bangladesh had scored 42 runs without losing any wicket and tomorrow, they will need to score 143 runs to win the match.
This is the best chance for Bangladesh to whitewash the series! Will Pakistani bowlers be able to dismiss 10 Bangladeshi batters tomorrow or will Bangladesh seal the series in their name? What do you think? Let us know your views.
