Pakistan suffered a 74-run defeat against England in the first Test of the three-match series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday. Opting to bat first, the Three Lions smashed a whopping total of 657 runs, in which they created a world record of 500 plus runs on the opening day. In return, Pakistan gave a brilliant reply with a total of 579 runs. However, the Babar Azam-led side fell short of 74 runs while chasing the target of 343 in the fourth innings of the match. Following this loss, Team Pakistan, including skipper Babar Azam faced severe criticism from fans and former cricketers. Babar scored a century in the first innings but was sent back to the dugout for 4 runs in Pakistan’s second innings.
It was in the sixth over of Pakistan’s chase when Ben Stokes delivered a short ball to Babar which stuck to the inside edge and went straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Ollie Pope. During the post-match press conference, a journalist asked the Pakistan skipper about his dismissal and said, “Kal aap jiss ball pe out huye the, kya aapko woh samajh nehi aayi thi ya kya mamla tha? Aap jaise bade batsman aur aise ball pe out huye (The ball in which you were dismissed, did you misjudge that ball. I mean, you are such a big batsman and you got out in that kind of a delivery).”
To everyone’s surprise, Babar remained calm and composed in the situation and replied, “Mamla toh kuch hai nehi. Jab aap galat khelenge toh out toh aap honge hi. But mere khayal se jo main expect kar raha tha ki bowl thodasa ayega but woh wicket pe hold kiya jiske wajah se gap ban gayi (When you play the wrong shot, you do get out. The ball held on to the wicket before bouncing and hence led to that gap).”
Babar Azam talks about his dismissal in the 2nd innings of the 1st Test.#PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/jylnwabFWF
— Grassroots Cricket (@grassrootscric) December 5, 2022
Coming to the match, fast bowlers Ollie Robinson and James Anderson took four wickets apiece as England pulled off an exciting 74-run win over Pakistan. Anderson took 4-36 and Robinson 4-50 on a placid Rawalpindi Stadium pitch to dismiss Pakistan for 268, with the stadium floodlights glowing as daylight faded.
Pakistan’s last pair of Naseem Shah (six) and Mohammad Ali (nought) defied England for 35 minutes and 8.5 overs before spinner Jack Leach trapped Naseem leg-before, leaving England players ecstatic.
The win — giving England a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series — embellished England’s newly adopted “Bazball” cricket, an aggressive style taken from the nickname of head coach Brendon McCullum.
The second Test is in Multan from December 9 to 13, and the third in Karachi from December 17 to 21.
With AFP Inputs
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