Unbelievably, Pakistan batter star Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck in the first innings of the opening Test match against Bangladesh. This was his first-ever duck at home. That rare moment came from the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, a venue where the Pakistan captain has performed quite regularly.
A Rare Occurrence for Babar Azam
Therein lies the exceptional nature of this duck. The 29-year-old—one of the more reliable batters of modern times—had gone through 24 innings in 14 matches at home without registering a duck until this game. Babar’s last duck in any Test match was three years and 36 innings ago. Recent dismissal highlights how rare and unusual a failure like this is for the top batter.
In Test cricket, getting out for no runs is getting a duck. There is always a moment that is not good for the batters. But more than this, for the Pakistan Captain, it was big. All other ducks he had managed to get earlier were overseas performances. Babar Azam and his failure to score in front of the home crowd sent Rawalpindi fans into shock.
At the dismissal of Babar Azam, Pakistan was in trouble. They were 8 1/3 in 21 overs at Tea. Saim Ayub was fighting well at 42, ably supported by Saud Shakeel at 28. Abdullah Shafique and the captain, Shan Masood, were dismissed early, which put additional pressure on the team.
Impact of Babar Azam
However, Babar Azam’s duck nullifies his contributions to other things in Pakistani cricket. He has been the team’s leader and a significant asset. The duck only represents an aberration in an otherwise illustrious career for Babar Azam. It reminds fans all over the world that cricket is a game full of uncertainties.
This Test match is part of the WTC 2023–25 calendar. Pakistan and Bangladesh are both very anxious to do better and strengthen their position with some big wins in the WTC points table. A lot, therefore, does hinge on the outcome of this series for their standings and prospects in the Championship ahead.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have played 13 Test matches against each other in six series. Pakistan has won 12. There has been only one draw in all those games. This history adds a little edge to the current series with both teams in a mood to prove their mettle.
In Conclusion
Pakistan’s home is not a hunting ground for Babar, with the duck now registering a reminder of potential unpredictability. Except for that unusual rejection, Babar’s career has been defined as nothing short of validation. As Pakistan and Bangladesh gear up to battle each other, one can’t help but be interested in witnessing how the ebbs and flows have changed more than anything. The game focuses not only on the players’ stage but also brings forth the fact that, after all that has been said, Test cricket is still interesting.
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