File image of Babar Azam.© X (Twitter)
Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam got off to the worst possible start to the Bangladesh Test series, as he got out for a two-ball duck on Day 1 of the first Test in Rawalpindi. Coming in to bat at no. 4 after the dismissal of captain Shan Masood, Babar soon followed suit. Babar edged a delivery by Shoriful Islam, which was grabbed behind the stumps by a diving Litton Das. While it was Babar's eighth duck in Test cricket, he also brought up an unwanted first.
The duck was Babar's first in a Test cricket match on home soil. It continues a poor run of form for Babar, who averages under 40 (37.41) in his last nine Tests.
Babar Azam 0(2) vs Bangladesh
— Naeem (@Naeemception) August 21, 2024
Ball by Ball pic.twitter.com/lMVs7qO3D1
Babar need not worry about the record of most ducks by a Pakistani batter, as his eight is still well short of Danish Kaneria's 25.
Despite the failure, Babar continues to be the only batter in the world to be ranked in the top five in all three formats. He is currently ranked third in Tests, behind Joe Root and Kane Williamson.
Pakistan's rebuild after early scare
Despite tottering at 16/3 after Babar's dismissal, Pakistan managed to fight back on a day where rain delayed the start of the contest. Pakistan lost just one more wicket after that, ending Day 1 on 158/4.
Young left-handed Saim Ayub, playing only his second Test, proved the hype around him as he scored a gritty 56 off 98 balls. Ayub was ably supported by Saud Shakeel, who ended the day unbeaten on 57. Shakeel was accompanied by wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan at stumps, who'd notched up 24 in only 31 balls.
Pacers Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud both picked up two wickets each for Bangladesh, but they would be ruing not capitalizing on their brilliant start. Bangladesh are chasing their first-ever win against Pakistan in Test cricket, having a 0-1-12 record till date.