'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMZaJj//xAAeEAACAQQDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBQYRACIxgv/aAAgBAQABPwC05XPa8ojqBAJ32pVZX6Aa819Hlbn9RPWTzNbqVTJIzkL4Nnn/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQITMf/aAAgBAgEBPwCqDWH/xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhEy/9oACAEDAQE/AFzT/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Pakistan captain Babar Azam once again failed to deliver with the bat, this time in a must-win Asia Cup 2023 game against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday, September 14.
Babar got off to a good start but failed to consolidate. He scored 29 runs off 35 balls before being stumped out by Kusal Mendis off Dunith Wellalage, who took a fifer against in his last game.
The dismissal took place in the 16th over of Pakistan’s innings when the left-arm spinner bowled a fuller delivery from wide of the crease. Babar was beaten by the turn on offer and wicketkeeper Mendis whipped off the bails in a flash. Azam’s back leg was in the air when the bails were dislodged.
With the dismissal, Wellalage reduced Pakistan to 73/2 after 16 overs.
The World No.1 batter had previously scored 10 and 17 in the last two games against India and Bangladesh, respectively.
Fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) were disappointed with the right-handed batter’s failure and trolled him for his under-par performance. One user wrote:
"Great players are made by great innings, Babar messes up another opportunity to stand tall, another big day & another big failure for Babar Azam."
Here are some of the other reactions:
Babar Azam and Co. opt to bat against Sri Lanka in must-win tie
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bat against Sri Lanka in a must-win game on Thursday. The Men in Green made a couple of forced changes at the last minute despite announcing their XI on the eve of the match. Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique replaced Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel. Pakistan are already without the services of injured Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.
At the toss, Babar said:
“We will bat first. We are trying to put runs on the board and put pressure on them. Second innings, the pitch behaves differently. Imam has a back spasm. Fakhar comes back. Saud Shakeel has a fever. Abdullah Shafique is playing.”
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, brought in Pramodh Madhusan and Kusal Janith, who replaced Kasun Rajitha and Dimuth Karunaratne in the playing XI.
The winner of the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan tie will qualify for the Asia Cup 2023 final. The two teams are coming off the back of losses against India. Babar Azam-led side lost by 228 runs while Dasun Shanaka and Co. registered a 41-run defeat.
