Former Pakistan speedster, Shoaib Akhtar, has praised star batter, Babar Azam, for his remarkable century in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Babar rose to the occasion yet again, rescuing Pakistan from a precarious position as he stood alone and countered a strong Sri Lankan bowling display.
Pakistan were struggling at 85/7 before Babar put up a series of partnerships along with tailenders Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, and Naseem Shah. Pakistan’s all-format captain scored 119 runs as the Men in Green finished the innings on 218, just four runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings total.
Babar’s exceptional innings was appreciated by cricketing experts from around the globe, including Shoaib Akhtar.
The Rawalpindi Express took to Twitter to appreciate Babar’s magnificent knock. Akhtar stated that Babar’s temperament to bat along with the tail and in extremely difficult conditions is a big achievement.
Babar's 100 yesterday was unique & in exceptional circumstances. Batting with tail for so long being a captain in tough Sri Lankan conditions is no small feat. What a talent he is.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) July 18, 2022
While Babar’s masterclass did stage a comeback for Pakistan in the first innings, his good work was outdone by Sri Lanka’s solid response in the second innings. Sri Lanka managed to put on 329/9 by the end of the third day’s play as they extended their lead to 333 runs.
Pakistan will need to pull off a miracle and record the highest-ever run-chase at Galle in order to win the first Test match. A loss for Pakistan will put them in a difficult position to qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final.
