'Who is going to tell him?' would be an apt response as a fan was seen with a poster at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi that said, "I skipped school to see Babar." Pakistan retained their combination of three spinners and just one pacer in Aamir Jamal from the second Test in Multan in the series decider with the pitch being readied with big ground fans on either ends and let it bake under the sky. Hence, there was no Babar Azam or either Shaheen Afridi or Naseem Shah for the finale in Rawalpindi.
"Awakward," Barmy Army reacted to the poster that has gone viral on social media.
Babar went 18 innings without a fifty-plus score before the new selection committee pulled the plug on the former Pakistan skipper, who was going through a lean patch in Test cricket. It was termed as rest but the gamble paid off for Pakistan in the sophomore Test with the hosts winning it by 152 runs, a first win at home in more than three years while the likes of Kamran Ghulam, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, all were the architects of the win.
Pakistan since their win against South Africa in February 2021, had lost to Australia, England and Bangladesh and drew one series against New Zealand at home but the Multan win came as a welcome relief not just to the team, the captain Shan Masood but also the fans and local public of Pakistan.
The hosts began on a thunderous note in the third Test with the ball after losing the toss in Rawalpindi. England skipper Ben Stokes without any hesitation decided to bat first and after a good opening partnership, the visitors lost 6/62 with Sajid and Noman being the only bowlers so far in the game.
England will hope to get through this tough period and be able to put some score on the board in excess of 200.
