Babar Azam, the ace Pakistan batter, came in for heavy criticism after he failed in the second innings of the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh. The match is being played in Rawalpindi.
After scoring only 31 runs off 77 balls in the first innings, Babar was removed for 11 runs off 18 balls in the second. This exacerbated Pakistan's troubles against a strong Bangladesh attack on a difficult fourth-day pitch.
Pakistan, who scored 274 in their first innings, appeared to be in control after reducing Bangladesh to a precarious 26/6. However, a spectacular 165-run partnership between Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz revitalized Bangladesh's innings, allowing them to reach 262, just 12 runs short of Pakistan's total.
Fans and critics alike have expressed concern about Babar's recent performances, as the top batter has now gone 16 Test innings without scoring a half-century.
His recent downturn has been widely discussed, particularly following Pakistan's 10-wicket defeat in the first Test, in which Babar was bowled for a duck and scored only 22 in the second innings.
With his previous Test fifty coming in late 2022, Babar's protracted slump has caused his Test average to go below 45, a rarity for the brilliant batter.
Fans have moved to social media to express their dissatisfaction, with many criticizing Babar for his inability to anchor the innings at critical times.
Here are a few posts:
