Babar Azam wicket today: The Pakistani captain was dismissed strangely after a fluent half-century at the Galle International Stadium today.
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During the fourth day of the first Test of the ongoing Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya bowled Pakistan captain Babar Azam around his legs to give his team some respite in the last hour of the day.
It all happened on the penultimate delivery of the 79th over when Azam looked to defend a Jayasuriya delivery with his front leg. With the left-arm spinner bowling round the wicket, Azam wanting to not play at a delivery pitched outside leg-stump wasn’t surprising by any means.
That being said, Jayasuriya’s delivery turning sharply after pitching found the batter in trouble. In addition to not being able to kick away the ball, Azam also witnessed the ball hitting the stumps to register a strange dismissal.
Shell-shocked by the mode of dismissal, a dejected Azam walked back to the pavilion after scoring 55 (104) with the help of four fours and a six. In what was his 22nd Test half-century, it was also his 14th away from home, 12th at No. 4, 10th in Asia, seventh as captain, third in 2022, second against Sri Lanka and first in Sri Lanka.
Azam, who successfully countered a challenge possessed by Sri Lankan spinners for almost 40 overs, put together a brilliant 101-run third-wicket partnership alongside opening batter Abdullah Shafique (112*). Having lost two quick wickets, Shafique and Azam were instrumental in earning back the advantage on Day 4.
Chasing a 342-run target, Pakistan need another 120 runs with seven wickets in hand on Day 5 to seal their second-highest Test run-chase and the highest at the Galle International Stadium.
Babar Azam wicket today
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