Babar Azam, the Pakistan captain, was looking set for his first Test century in more than three years, but a poor dismissal led to him being dismissed for 76, falling 24 runs short. The right-handed batter had his intent right up there in the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Friday, and the 31-year-old looked at ease against Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer, picking up boundaries for fun. It is worth noting that Babar’s previous 100 had come way back in December 2022 against New Zealand. The seasoned batter has now gone 40 innings without breaching the three-figure mark in Tests.
However, when it seemed a done deal that Babar would get to the century, he ended up losing his wicket off a short delivery bowled by Josh Tongue. The pacer bowled a short delivery down leg, and Babar wasn’t able to avoid it. The batter tried to glide the ball, but it took the glove, and Jordon Cox did not make a mistake catching it.
“Showing a real weakness in his game as he did at Lord’s against Jofra Archer. Just a really poor shot, that was really bad,” former England pacer Stuart Broad said on air.
However, Babar’s 76-run knock, which was studded with 11 fours and 1 six, gave Pakistan something to rejoice in on the tour of England, which has been lacklustre, to say the least. The visitors already lost the opening two Tests, following which seven players and two coaches were replaced in the dressing room.
Babar entered the Test under considerable pressure, scoring just 8 and 6 in the previous Test at Lord’s. He had previously missed the series opener at Headingley due to the injury he sustained in the warm-up match against PCC Select.
The woes continued for the seasoned batter in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test as Babar lasted just 18 balls in the middle, scoring 5 runs. He looked all at sea against an in-swinger delivery bowled by Tongue, and was beaten by pace to see his stumps rattled.
However, Babar walked out to bat with solid intent in Pakistan’s second innings, scoring boundaries at will. He was also aided by the pitch getting better for the batters, and he made the most of it, stitching a solid 89-run stand with Shan Masood for the fourth wicket.
The Pakistan captain got to his half-century off 76 balls. Babar and Masood also ensured that the visitors posted more than 200 runs in the Test series for the first time, and it took them six innings to do so.
Babar answers critics
Ahead of the Test against England, Babar faced a lot of flak for not doing enough when the PCB decided to send seven players back home. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar had hit out at the batter, saying he is a strong skipper and that shows in how he goes about his business.
“I think many of the issues stem from the fact that he (Babar) is unable to make the right calls. Had it been me, everyone would have known what would have happened. That is a very simple thing,” he said.
“I think Babar’s personality is visible in his captaincy, decision making and his game, which is why he is now struggling badly,” he added.
Coming back to the Edgbaston Test, Masood missed out on a well-deserved century after he got out for 95 off the bowling of Gus Atkinson.
