PAK vs ENG: Babar Azam faces backlash for his disappointing innings on batting-friendly Multan pitch

Babar Azam once again struggled to make a significant impact in Tests as he was dismissed for 30 runs off 71 balls on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test between Pakistan and England at Multan Cricket Stadium on October 7 (Monday).

Babar once again missed a golden chance to silence his critics. His inability to turn a solid start into a significant score in Tests reignited criticism from cricket fans and enthusiasts on social media regarding his series of low scores. Notably, Babar has now gone 17 Test innings without scoring a fifty.

Here’s some social media reactions to Babar Azam's inability to score big in the Multan Test

It's time to give shut up call to Babar Azam . 

— (@ANA16043104) October 7, 2024

 #PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/jMVNZvwqTR

— Furqan Hameed (@iFurqanH) October 7, 2024

Azam had a relatively slow innings of 30 runs on a pitch in Multan that was favourable for batters. In contrast, Pakistan captain Shan Masood (151 runs) and Abdullah Shafique (102 runs) delivered impressive performances on Day 1.

Pakistan were in strife after losing Saim Ayub (4) cheaply early in the first session. Shafique and Masood rose to the challenge and forged a 253-run partnership that swung the momentum in Pakistan's favour.

Before fatigue got the better of Shafique, the 24-year-old slammed 102(184). Masood, who was the aggressor during their remarkable stand, garnered 151(177) at a strike rate of 85.31.

On a scorching day in Multan, the pitch offered a bit to the English bowlers, making it even a harder challenge for the visitors to scythe wickets.

Shafique is expecting the pitch to get tougher for the batters as the game progresses and expects spinners to have their say.

"Pitches in Test matches are challenging in the beginning due to the freshness. The pitch was tough to bat on in the first session, but my partnership with Masood boosted the team. We are also hoping for the hard surface in Multan to help the spinners as batting will keep becoming challenging due to the cracks," Shafique added.

After exuding dominance over England, Pakistan ended the day with a comfortable score of 328/4. 

(With inputs from ANI)

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