KARACHI: The prolonged slump in form for national Test team player Babar Azam has continued into domestic cricket, as the star batsman once again failed to play a big innings despite his long-awaited return to first-class cricket.
Playing in the first innings of the fourth round of the President’s Trophy, Babar failed to deliver a noteworthy performance, heading back to the pavilion after scoring a mere 21 runs. Representing OGDCL, he attempted a pull shot off a short-pitched delivery by fast bowler Arshad Iqbal, resulting in a catch on the leg side.
Failed to Capitalize Despite a Dropped Catch
According to reports, when Babar was batting on just 12 runs, an easy catch was dropped by the fielders. However, he failed to capitalize on the lifeline, squandering the opportunity and unable to stay at the crease for long.
It is worth noting that he had already failed in the first two innings of the President’s Trophy. Following this latest dismissal, his total output across three innings upon his return to domestic cricket after a gap of seven years is restricted to a meager 37 runs.
Babar Azam last played first-class domestic cricket back in December 2019, when he captained Central Punjab and led his side to victory in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, defeating Northern by an innings and 16 runs.
