Pakistan batsman Babar Azam lived up to the expectations and produced a masterclass on the rain-curtailed opening day of the first Test against England in Manchester.

Babar scored 69 not out and shared an unbeaten 96-run stand for the third wicket with Shan Masood (46*) as the visitors finished Day 1 on 139/2.

Commenting on Azam’s stroke-filled knock, former England skipper Nasser Hussain said it is unfortunate that not enough people will celebrate the innings as a consequence of Pakistan having several disadvantages as a cricketing nation.

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“Now if this was (Virat) Kohli, everyone would be talking, but as it’s Babar Azam, no one is talking. He averages 68 since 2018 & 55 in white-ball cricket. He’s young, he’s elegant & he’s got swagger. They talk about the Fab 4 (Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root), but it’s the Fab 5 and Babar is in that,” Hussain said on the Sky Sports mid-match analysis show.

“It’s a real shame & is in part a consequence of Pakistan playing away from home, playing in UAE in front of no one, Pakistan being in the shadow of Indian cricket, not going over and playing IPL and not playing against India, it’s all of that,” he added.

Coming to the Test match, the hosts had reduced Pakistan to 43/2 in the first session with Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes dismissing Abid Ali (16) and Azhar (0) cheaply.

However, Babar and Masood bailed the tourists out of trouble in the second session. While the right-hander took 100 balls to score his 69 runs, the southpaw held the one end firmly and faced 152 balls for his 46.