Pakistan‘s troubles persisted when Babar Azam dropped an easy catch on Day 4 (October 10) of the first Test against England in Multan. This mistake was particularly costly as it let Joe Root, who was already on 186, off the hook.
On a flat pitch, the Pakistani bowlers struggled on Day 3, with England finishing the day at 492/3. The fourth day began similarly, with Root and Harry Brook looking comfortable at the crease.
Out of nowhere, pacer Naseem Shah created a chance, inducing a mis-hit from Root, who sent a pull shot straight to Babar at mid-wicket, but he failed to hold onto it. However, the former Pakistan captain missed the chance, leaving the bowler frustrated. Here’s the video of Babar’s puzzling drop:
Babar Azam has dropped an absolute dolly.
– Naseem Shah can't believe it. pic.twitter.com/raznGrvcVO
— 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞 (@CallMeSheri1) October 10, 2024
Unfortunately for Pakistan, Root capitalized on the mistake, quickly reaching his double century off 305 balls. His partner Brook is close to his own double hundred, scoring 172 off 210 balls as England reached 551/3, just five runs behind Pakistan.
Babar Azam’s drop is part of a challenging home Test season for him
Babar Azam’s dropped catch is emblematic of his recent struggles in Test cricket. The 29-year-old had a forgettable series against Bangladesh before the current match with England, managing only 64 runs at an average of 16, which led to a humiliating 0-2 series loss.
In the first innings of the ongoing match on the flat Multan wicket, Babar scored just 30 before being dismissed LBW by Chris Woakes.
This year, he has a disappointing average of 20.42 in Tests, without any half-centuries and a top score of only 31. His poor performance has persisted since last year, when he averaged a subpar 22.66 over five Tests, following an impressive 2022 where he averaged nearly 70.
With England positioned for a significant first-innings lead, Pakistan needs their star batter to perform at his best to avoid a sixth straight Test defeat.
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