ENG vs PAK: Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s return to the leadership role in Test cricket got off to a decent start with a 1-1 series draw in the West Indies but the fortunes nosedived in the following tour of England. While Pakistan showed admirable fight in the dead-rubber third Test, the visitors’ poor show with the bat had costed them the series in the first two matches itself. With the Lahore-born cricketer bagging an unwanted record, will he continue as the Test captain moving forward.
ENG vs PAK: Is Babar Azam willing to continue as Pakistan’s Test captain?
With the sub-continent nation suffering a 3-0 series defeat to England both away and home, Babar became the first Pakistani skipper to oversee it. When asked at the post-game presentation whether he wishes to carry on with the leadership duties, he stated the below:
“Yes. But [in] different series you need players for the conditions, but the new boys have done well.”
While the 31-year-old right-hander made 76 in the second innings of the final Test at Edgbaston, his returns in the three other innings are 8, 7, 6 as the tourists’ batting came massively under the scanner. They are also languishing at the bottom of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) points table with seven losses and only two wins – one each against South Africa and the West Indies.
ENG vs PAK: Pakistan fail to sustain pressure after Mohammad Abbas strikes twice in England’s second innings
Despite having only a paltry 130 to defend with two days to go in the Test, Pakistan’s new-ball seamer Mohammad Abbas jolted England’s top-order, dismissing Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay for ducks. Despite finding themselves at 2-2 at one stage, the Englishmen didn’t panic as Jordan Cox joined hands with England skipper Joe Root to take their side over the line in a chase of 130 with eight wickets to spare.
A total of 133 from Pakistan in the first innings was followed by 453 from the hosts as they took a 320-run lead. By the time, Pakistan erased the deficit, thanks largely to half-centuries from Shan Masood (95) and Babar Azam (76), they were still seven down. However, 21-year-old debutant Razaullah launched a calculated assault, fearlessly hitting sixes against Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. The all-rounder, who dismissed Root for his first Test wicket, smashed nine maximums in his 63-ball 81 and shared a century stand with Mohammad Abbas, who also chipped in with 42. Atkinson was the pick of England’s bowlers in the second innings with three wickets.
The stand between Root (62*) and Cox (59*) amounted to 128 off only 143 deliveries.
