"Leave test cricket now" - Fans fume as Babar Azam departs for 4 runs, goes 19 innings without a half-century in SA vs PAK 1st Test
Babar Azam failed to deliver with the bat again in the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa in Centurion on Day 1 (Thursday, December 26). The right-handed batter departed for just four runs off 11 deliveries before getting caught in the slip cordon while flashing outside the off-stump. The 30-year-old has now failed to score a half-century in his last 19 Test innings with a best score of 41 against Australia in December last year.
Notably, Azam was rested for the last two of a three-match series against England but has failed to recover from his lean patch. The hopes were high after the Lahore batter notched up two consecutive fifties against the Proteas in ODIs but failed in the red-ball format. He will now look to deliver in his remaining chances to keep his place in the national squad in Tests.
Fans on X slammed Babar Azam for his flop show with the bat in Tests in the last two years. One user wrote:
"Babar Azam has been playing really bad cricket in Test format for a while now but not being dropped."
Another user wrote:
"Babar Azam must leave test cricket now."
A third user added:
"This is not a babar azam i saw some years ago. Unreal downfall."
Here are a few more reactions:
Dane Paterson removes Babar Azam & Saim Ayub as South Africa make promising start against Pakistan
Dane Paterson starred with the ball as South Africa made a dashing start against Pakistan in the first Test on Day 1. Apart from Babar Azam, Paterson also got rid of Saim Ayub (14 off 35 balls). Meanwhile, Corbin Bosch dismissed skipper Shan Masood (17 off 58 deliveries) and vice-captain Saud Shakeel (14 off six).
At the time of writing, the tourists were reeling at 88/4, with Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan at the crease.
Pakistan are yet to win a Test series in South Africa. Sri Lanka are the only Asian team to beat the Proteas in a series in their backyard.
Follow the SA vs PAK 1st Test live score and updates here.