RAWALPINDI: Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck for the first time on home soil on the opening day of the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Babar, one of the most consistent batters in world cricket, perished without disturbing the scoreboard.
Coming out to bat at No.4 with Pakistan reeling at 14/2, Babar faltered on a length delivery around his legs off Shoriful Islam to fall for a two-ball duck.
The Bangladesh pacer, ahead of the series, expressed his desire to dismiss Babar and termed him as a “dream wicket”.
“Babar is a tough challenge for Bangladesh. So, we have to take his wicket quickly. He is also my dream wicket. I will be very happy if I can get his wicket. I played with him last year in the CPL. He is a very good person,” Shoriful had said.
Prior to the ongoing fixture, Babar had played 24 innings in 14 Tests at home and did not get out on a duck.
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The last time Babar Azam bagged a duck in a Test match was three years ago. Overall, he has been dismissed for a duck eight times in the longest format with seven of them coming in away matches.
Following Babar Azam’s dismissal, Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub spearheaded Pakistan’s fightback as the duo added 98 runs for the fourth wicket to pull the home side out of trouble.
Bangladesh hit back late in the day with the prized scalp of Saim Ayub, who made 56, but Mohammad Rizwan settled down quickly and raised an unbeaten 44-run partnership with Saud to keep Pakistan afloat.
Saud, unbeaten on 57, while Rizwan, 24 not out, will resume Pakistan’s first innings at 158/4 on the second Test of the ongoing first Test.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.
READ: Saud Shakeel equals major record by a Pakistan batter in Tests