"Babar Azam just cannot read spin from the hand" - Twitter reacts as Ish Sodhi bamboozles Pakistan skipper with a googly on Day 5 

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was undone by a googly from Ish Sodhi on Day 5 of the first Test against New Zealand on Friday, December 30. The ace batter was trapped in front by a long hop and to make matters worse, he wasted a review before departing for 14 runs.

The Men in Green finished Day 4 on 77-2 after the Kiwis amassed a mammoth 174-run lead on the back of Kane Williamson's double hundred. Despite the pitch not showcasing any particular red flags to bat on, Pakistan were on the back foot heading into the final day as they had a lot to lose.

Off-spinner Michael Bracewell struck early to remove nightwatchman Nauman Ali as Babar came to the crease. The skipper began cautiously, scoring only two runs off his first 14 deliveries. He then brought some rhythm into his innings with two boundaries off Michael Bracewell.

Williamson proceeded to introduce Sodhi into the attack in the 40th over of the innings. The leg-spinner struck off the very first ball of his spell to claim Babar's prized scalp. Although the right-handed batter read the short-pitched googly while attempting to play the pull shot, he was just a touch late and the fact that it kept a bit low did not help his cause.

Fans lambasted Babar for his poor showing, losing his wicket at a crucial juncture of play. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:

Sanket ☭

@sankulyaa

Babar Azam just cannot read spin from the hand. Waits for the ball to pitch and turn but by then he's too late to react. #PAKvNZ

2

Babar Azam just cannot read spin from the hand. Waits for the ball to pitch and turn but by then he's too late to react. #PAKvNZ

Asfand

@AliIsfand425

Babar Azam gone again on Goggly. the love story continues #PAKvNZ

Babar Azam gone again on Goggly. the love story continues #PAKvNZ

Venkat Raghav

@raghavitis

Babar Azam rapidly climbing on the charts of "The Worst review taker"

Babar Azam rapidly climbing on the charts of "The Worst review taker"

Adnan

@adnanmunir70

again babar Azam out in critical stage. now Pakistan will lose this test match. Draw chance wil be the best for them but they lose the plot again. poor batting, bowling. disaster of "Pakistan" cricket #PAKvNZ

again babar Azam out in critical stage. now Pakistan will lose this test match. Draw chance wil be the best for them but they lose the plot again. poor batting, bowling. disaster of "Pakistan" cricket #PAKvNZ

💀

@n00bmaster69__

Babar Azam failing in the 4th innings
🤝🏽
Me failing to find a reason to live

Babar Azam failing in the 4th innings
🤝🏽
Me failing to find a reason to live

Dr Ujjwal Nigam

@dr_ujjwal

@babarazam258 choked when it mattered the most that too when he is in form of his life...biggest stat padder...#PAKvNZ #NZvsPAK @TheRealPCB @BLACKCAPS #TestCricket #worldtestchampionship

2

@babarazam258 choked when it mattered the most that too when he is in form of his life...biggest stat padder...#PAKvNZ #NZvsPAK @TheRealPCB @BLACKCAPS #TestCricket #worldtestchampionship

ALI NAZIR

@Alinazirbutt

This has been the problem of babar azam not picking googly since adil rashid created babar weakness and all teams picked up

This has been the problem of babar azam not picking googly since adil rashid created babar weakness and all teams picked up

Razaul Hassan

@realraza512

Petition to ban babar azam batting in morning,he simple can't bat whenever he bats in 1 hour of test match. #PAKvNZ #BabarAzam𓃵

1

Petition to ban babar azam batting in morning,he simple can't bat whenever he bats in 1 hour of test match. #PAKvNZ #BabarAzam𓃵

Elliot Alderson.

@rovvmut_

Babar Azam when team needs him in second innings:
#PAKvNZ

11

Babar Azam when team needs him in second innings:
#PAKvNZ https://t.co/BAqYP9znRH

AJ

@photographycric

Babar Azam just cannot play spin.
#PakvsNZ

Babar Azam just cannot play spin.
#PakvsNZ

Prashant Jha

@pjha2000

Babar Azam always choke when team needed him the most.

Take it or not. But that's True.

#BabarAzam
#PAKvNZ

Babar Azam always choke when team needed him the most.

Take it or not. But that's True.

#BabarAzam
#PAKvNZ

ارشاد

@aha_irshi

Googly's bunny. #BabarAzam𓃵

Googly's bunny. #BabarAzam𓃵

ا

@bobydriive

Once again Babar Azam chokes in 4th innings under pressure on a nothing ball.

2

Once again Babar Azam chokes in 4th innings under pressure on a nothing ball.

Malik Saleem Raza

@MS_Raza111

@ESPNcricinfo Fails, AGAIN. Easy to score when there's no pressure. Fifty here would have more valuable than those 1st inning easy tons.
#BabarAzam𓃵 #PAKvNZ #TayyariKiwiHai #PakvsNz #Cricket

4

@ESPNcricinfo Fails, AGAIN. Easy to score when there's no pressure. Fifty here would have more valuable than those 1st inning easy tons.
#BabarAzam𓃵 #PAKvNZ #TayyariKiwiHai #PakvsNz #Cricket

bos juttler

@shairlockholmed

babar azam whenever he sees a googly coming

babar azam whenever he sees a googly coming https://t.co/58HsjRd5Pk

Fooshie

@faizh

@babarazam258 needs some tough love. Next coaching regime needs to be hard on him so he values his wicket lot more. @TheRealPCB #PAKvNZ #karachitest

@babarazam258 needs some tough love. Next coaching regime needs to be hard on him so he values his wicket lot more. @TheRealPCB #PAKvNZ #karachitest

LachlanB_ 🌏✈️🏈🏏

@LachlanB_

That review by Babar Azam almost reached Watson/Smith/Marnus-like areas with its audacity. That was not missing the stumps in one million years. What a waste. #PAKvNZ

That review by Babar Azam almost reached Watson/Smith/Marnus-like areas with its audacity. That was not missing the stumps in one million years. What a waste. #PAKvNZ

Ishaan Talks

@ishaanvlogs19

Babar was a sitting 🦆 waiting at backfoot.

Thankfully #nz bowlers gave few short balls to score off. #PAKvNZ #NZvsPAK

#BabarAzam Gone.

Pak need to bat our of their skins now.

Babar was a sitting 🦆 waiting at backfoot.

Thankfully #nz bowlers gave few short balls to score off. #PAKvNZ #NZvsPAK

#BabarAzam Gone.

Pak need to bat our of their skins now. https://t.co/WwY2mfaxrY

Pakistan revived by Sarfaraz's blitz after Babar Azam's departure

Former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, returning to the fold after a significant while, was promoted over the in-form Saud Shakeel following the fall of the fourth wicket. The wicketkeeper-batter was active in looking for options to score and stamped his intentions with consecutive boundaries off Tim Southee.

At the time of writing, the hosts have crept up to 131-4 on the back of Sarfaraz's ongoing bright innings, with Imam-ul-Haq maintaining his stoic approach at the other end.

Pakistan now trail New Zealand's first-innings lead by 43 runs, with a minimum of 75 overs still to be bowled on the final day of the contest.

How should the Pakistan skipper counter his woes against spin? Let us know what you think.

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