"Highway pitch pe bhi century ne kar paaya" - Fans react as Babar Azam completes 17 innings without 50 in Tests during PAK vs ENG 1st Test

Babar Azam once again failed to score big in the first of the three-match Test series between Pakistan and England in Multan on Day 1 (Monday, October 7). The right-handed batter scored 30 runs off 71 balls before getting out via a soft dismissal. With this, Azam played his 17th innings in Tests without a half-century.

The 29-year-old scored his last big knock (161) against New Zealand in January 2023. Since then, his scores read: 14, 24, 27, 13, 24, 39, 21, 14, 1, 41, 26, 23, 0, 22, 31, 11, and 30 (today).

Fans on X roasted Azam for yet another failure in Test cricket. One user wrote:

"Imagine the caliber of batsman who can't score 50 on dead track. Inning no 17 without 50."

Another user wrote:

"Highway pitch pe bhi Century ne kar Paaya Babar Azam. Gajab ka Bura Daur Jaari hai [Babar Azam was able to score a century even on a highway pitch. This terrible phase continues.]"

A third user wrote:

"How can you throw your wickets to a soft dismissal? Need a big 100 in 2nd Innings."

Here are a few more reactions:

Babar Azam fails to deliver as Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique steal the show on Day 1

Babar Azam failed to deliver with the bat but Pakistan skipper Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique stole the show on Day 1. Masood top scored with 151 runs off 177 balls, an innings laced with two sixes and 13 boundaries. Shafique also scored 102 off 184 with the aid of two maximums and 10 boundaries. The duo shared a 253-run partnership for the second wicket after Saim Ayub departed for just four runs.

At stumps on Day 1, Pakistan were 328/4 after 86 overs, with Saud Shakeel and Naseem Shah at the crease. Gus Atkinson has been the leading wicket-taker for the visitors, picking up two wickets. Chris Woakes and Jack Leach also shared one apiece.

The Men in Green are searching for their first Test win in the last 10 games. They recently lost to Bangladesh by a 0-2 margin. On the other hand, Ollie Pope-led England beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in their recently concluded home Test series.

Follow the PAK vs ENG 1st Test live score and updates here.

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