Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha - (Source: AFP)
The Pakistan cricket team succumbed to a huge innings defeat to England to go 0-1 down in the three-match Test series. Playing without captain Babar Azam at Headingley in Leeds, the visitors were blown away by England bowlers in just two-and-a-half days.
With Pakistan fans and cricket experts desperately hoping for Babar’s recovery and return to the national side, interim skipper Salman Agha just dropped a huge hint regarding the fate of the legendary batter.
Salman Agha ‘hopeful’ for the return of Babar Azam
While speaking with the commentator during the post-match presentation ceremony at Leeds, Pakistan’s interim captain Salman Agha was asked to give a recovery update regarding injured skipper Babar Azam.
With Babar looking good during a brief Pakistan training session on Thursday, Salman stated that he was hopeful for the cricketer to re-join the national playing XI for the second Test against England next week.
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He said “Hopefully, Babar will be back for us in the second Test. That will be a big boost for us.”
What happened to Babar Azam before 1st Test?
Babar Azam was recently re-appointed as Pakistan’s Test captain last month for the two-match tour of West Indies. Aiming to reprise his role in England, the legendary right-handed batter was struck on his hand during Pakistan’s pre-series warm-up match against the Professional County Club Select XI in Beckenham.
He was subsequently ruled out of Pakistan’s playing XI for the series-opening first Test against England at Headingley, prompting the Pakistan team management to appoint national T20I skipper Salman Agha as team’s interim captain.
On Day 2 of the match, Babar was spotted practising on the ground with his teammates. Interestingly, the cricketer applied no bandage on his hand, thus indicating that he was making good recovery. His fielding drill, coupled with Salman Agha’s latest remark indicates that the 31-year-old might well storm back into the national XI for the second Test.
Babar Azam-less Pakistan return to ‘losing ways’, slip to the bottom of WTC 2025-27
Without the services of captain and seasoned batter Babar Azam, the Pakistan cricket team suffered a humiliating innings defeat by 103 runs to England in just two-and-a-half days at Leeds.
It is worth noting that captain Babar recently snapped Pakistan’s four-match losing streak in Tests by securing a historic win on West Indies soil earlier this month. The outcome also lifted the ‘Men in Green’ to number eighth spot on the WTC 2025-27 points table.
However, with Babar finding no place in the Pakistan XI for the first England Test owing to his injury, his team once again fell to the bottom of the nine-team WTC charts. Even their PCT has now dropped from 22.22 to 19.04.
Since the PCB is yet to issue any official update regarding Babar’s return, the cricketer is currently in race against time in a bid to prove his match fitness before the upcoming all-important second Test against England at Lord’s between August 27 and August 31.
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