'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Pakistan batter Babar Azam's horrid form on the ongoing tour of Australia continued with yet another poor return in the third and final Test of the series in Sydney. The right-handed batter was dismissed for 26 runs off 40 deliveries by Pat Cummins in the first session.
Babar had to walk out to bat in a tricky situation as the Men in Green were reduced to 4-2 in the second over of the contest. The former skipper looked in glorious touch at first, hitting some of his trademark cover drives, but ended up losing his wicket to Cummins for the third time in the series.
Babar was undone by a rare inswinger from the Aussie skipper and was a touch late to bring down his bat. The fullish delivery hit him flush on the pads, but the degree of swing initially prompted on-field umpire Michael Gough to remain unmoved.
Australia decided to take a review, where ball-tracking showed that the ball would have gone onto hit the leg stump, leading to the on-field decision being overturned.
Babar's form has been a concern for Pakistan as his second half of 2023 was far from ideal, and from the looks of it, his 2024 is off to a poor start as well.
Here are some of the reactions on Twitter following Babar Azam's poor display in Sydney:
Babar Azam has only scored 103 runs in five innings on the tour of Australia so far
Babar Azam was caught behind on both occasions in the series opener in Perth. In the first innings of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the batter was bowled by a Pat Cummins delivery that jagged back in considerably.
His highest score of 41 on the tour came during the second innings at MCG, where Pakistan were chasing 316 for victory. However, his untimely dismissal to Josh Hazlewood changed the course of the run chase for Pakistan.
The former skipper now only has one innings left to make amends, and Pakistan will also be keen for their ace batter to step up as they look to avoid another whitewash on Australian soil.
Pakistan are currently reeling at 75-4 at Lunch on Day 1. The visitors had also lost the wicket of Saud Shakeel after Babar's departure. Skipper Shan Masood is currently at the crease along with Mohammad Rizwan.
Will Babar Azam end the tour on a high in the second innings at Sydney? Let us know what you think.
