The Pakistan cricket team stunned England by 152 runs in Multan to level their three-match series with a Test to spare.
The outcome marked Pakistan’s first Test win at home in nearly four years, and first in any condition in more than a year after succumbing to six successive demoralizing defeats.
Remarkably, Shan Masood and co. did so without the services of Babar Azam, considering the senior Pakistani batter was boldly dropped from the team’s playing XI earlier this week amidst his constant struggles with the bat. After the match, several fans took to X and called for Babar’s permanent axing from the team in a bid to return back to winning ways.
Amidst all the hoopla surrounding Pakistan’s newfound winning mantra, fast bowler Mohammad Amir has now defended Babar and urged fans to be sensible in their criticism.
On Friday, October 18, i.e., shortly after Pakistan’s 152-run win over England, Mohammad Amir took to X and urged Pakistan fans to be sensible towards Babar Azam amidst the latter’s removal from the playing XI.
Amir explained that the Pakistan team won because of better planning and better utilization of home advantage, and not because of dropping Babar from the team.
Babar Azam was replaced by debutant Kamran Ghulam in the team, who scored a splendid century in the first Pakistan innings of the match. Ghulam batted out for over five hours, pumping out 118 runs in the process with 11 boundaries and a six.
Apart from Babar, his regular teammates Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were also dropped from the playing XI in favor of a spin-heavy attack. Spinners and comeback men Sajid Khan and Noman Ali ended up picking all 20 English wickets on offer to headline Pakistan’s 152-run series-levelling win.
Pakistan will now face England in the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi between October 24 and October 28.
