Pakistan Drops Babar Azam For 2nd Multan Test After Shocking Defeat To England

Pakistan’s crushing defeat to England by an inning and 47 runs in the first Multan Test has triggered significant changes ahead of the second Test starting October 15.

In a major move, Babar Azam has been dropped after a string of poor performances, with the last notable score being 161 against New Zealand in December 2022. Since then, Azam has failed to hit a half-century in 18 innings, fueling speculation about his form and leadership.

The decision to bench the former Pakistan captain follows Pakistan’s dismal exit from the T20 World Cup, further putting pressure on Azam.

Intense scrutiny on his performance led to his resignation from captaincy earlier this month. The selection committee and team management believe a break could help him regain form.

The Multan pitch will also see changes, with groundstaff preparing a turning track after England dominated the previous Test with record-breaking scores.

Skipper Shan Masood defended the decision to use a flat wicket, which ultimately did not favor Pakistan. For the second Test, Pakistan aims to deploy a spin-heavy attack, recalling Sajid Khan, while Abrar Ahmed remains unavailable due to illness.

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SQUAD-:

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.

DROPPED-:

Babar, Shaheen, Naseem and Sarfaraz Ahmed

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