(AP Photo)
Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam’s challenging form persisted as he was dismissed for a duck in his team’s opening Test against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
This marked the eighth occasion Azam has been dismissed without scoring in Test cricket and, more concerningly, it was the first time he was dismissed for a duck in red-ball cricket on home soil.
Azam was dismissed for a duck after being caught behind by Liton Das off the bowling of Bangladeshi seamer Shoriful Islam on just the second ball of his brief innings.
The top-order batsman, who had an outstanding run in Test cricket from 2019 to the end of 2022, has since experienced a significant decline in form. Previously averaging over 50 in Tests, Azam’s average has dropped sharply, and he has managed only one Test century since the start of 2023.
The opening Test of the two-match series in Pakistan faced a delayed start due to a wet outfield caused by overnight rain. After four pitch inspections, the umpires finally gave the go-ahead for play to begin.
The match commenced after lunch with the day’s overs reduced to 48.
Bangladesh’s bowlers made an immediate impact, dismissing opener Abdullah Shafique for just 2 runs thanks to Hasan Mahmud’s early breakthrough. Shoriful Islam then removed Shan Masood for a mere 6 runs, adding to the hosts’ struggles. Babar Azam followed soon after, falling for a duck.
At 16 for 3, Pakistan was in dire straits until a crucial partnership between Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel helped the team surpass the 100-run mark.
Ayub was out for a well-crafted half-century, dismissed by Mahmud, while Shakeel also reached the fifty-run mark before stumps. He ended the day unbeaten on 57, with Mohammad Rizwan contributing 24 runs.
Pakistan finished the day at 158/4 and will aim to seize control of the opening Test on home ground when play resumes on Thursday, despite the challenging weather forecasts.
