Babar Azam’s landmark outing in front of a home crowd ended on a sour note as the star batter failed to cash in during the first T20 against Australia at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Playing his 100th international match at home, Babar arrived with plenty of attention on him. In the build-up to the series, he had been trending on social media for showing a more aggressive intent in practice, with clips of his clean hitting spreading widely and fueling talk that he was looking to push his tempo.
But on match day, the moment didn’t turn into a statement innings. Babar was dismissed in the 14th over by leg-spinner Adam Zampa, getting out for 24 off 20 balls with a Strike Rate of 120, hitting with a four and a six. His wicket came at a key stage when Pakistan needed stability and acceleration heading into the final stretch.
The early dismissal will also add to the conversation around Babar’s recent form, as his difficult run in the Big Bash League remains fresh and Australia once again managed to remove him before he could take control of the innings.
Pakistan had chosen to bat first after winning the toss, and at the time of Babar’s departure, the hosts had crossed 120 runs with six wickets still in hand, aiming to lift the scoring rate in the final overs to put up a strong total.
