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Pakistan top-order batter Babar Azam's disappointing run in Test cricket continued as he was dismissed for 22 after bagging a duck in first innings against Bangladesh in first Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Babar had played himself in and then dragged the ball back to his stumps in an attempt to play his favourite shot, the cover drive against young Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana.
On Day 5, Babar had to walk out to bat early as skipper Shan Masood edged one to wicketkeeper Litton Das off Hasan Mahmud's bowling. Babar had a cautious approach but was troubled by Rana who bowled well over 140kmph. In his fourth over, he was hit for a boundary by Babar. Rana upped the ante and bowled a 146.4 kmph delivery. He followed it up with the same pace. Babar went for the cover drive but the inside stage hit the stumps.
Babar departed after scoring 22 runs from 50 balls. He hit three fours in his knock. He became 21-year-old Rana's first wicket on Pakistan soil. In the first innings, he remained wicketless and conceded 105 runs from 19 overs.
Babar dropped first ball
Earlier, Babar would have registered a pair of ducks had Litton Das not dropped his catch. On the first ball he faced, Shoriful Islam bowled a back of the length delivery. Babar poked at the delivery and the edge flew to Das. The ball popped out of his gloves. In the first innings, Shoriful dismissed Babar off a back of the length delivery as well.
Pakistan’s middle-order collapse
After Babar’s wicket, Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz got one wicket each. Saud Shakeel got stumped for a four-ball duck whereas Salman was caught at first slip for a golden duck. Pakistan were reduced to 105/6 in 33.2 overs.
Babar’s dry run in red-ball cricket
Babar has not scored a half-century since December 2022. The closest he came was against Australia last year at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when he scored 41 runs from 122 balls. He has not crossed the fifty-run mark in last 14 innings.
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