Babar Azam perhaps Pakistan’s best batsman on the South African tour, but he is not entirely happy with himself. The star batsman scored three back-to-back half-centuries in the ongoing Test series, but frustration remained as none of them managed to convert into a hundred.
After PakistanComing back strong on Day 3 at Newlands, Cape Town, Babar shared his thoughts. He admitted that he was disappointed with both his innings, especially his dismissal late in the day.
“I am very disappointed with both the innings. I started well but I didn’t finish well,” said Babar while speaking to ESPNCricinfo. “If you make a deal, you have to go a lot more. That’s why I was a little upset. There were only 15 minutes left.”
A record-breaking partnership keeps Pakistan in the hunt
Babar’s opening panel with the captain Shan Masood was the highlight of Pakistan’s second innings. After being bowled out for 194, the duo shared a historic partnership of 205 runs — the highest opening stand in Test history as they followed on.
Babar bowled fluently throughout his 81 runs before falling to David Bedingham at slip, thanks to a thick cover edge. The timing of his dismissal left him visibly frustrated, especially with Pakistan still lagging behind South Africa for 208 runs.
Captain Shan Masood remained unbeaten on 102 off 166 balls at the end of Day 3, with nightwatchman Khurran Shahzad keeping him company at the other end.
Conditions and challenges
Babar reflected on the ground conditions at Newlands, noting the differences compared to Centurion.
“The conditions here are different from Centurion,” he explained. “When you come to South Africa, you don’t expect that [the pitch will be so flat]. With the new ball it was a bit challenging, but once you calmed down and built a partnership, it became easier.”
However, he warned that Day 4 could be tricky with the left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj coming into play.
“There are some bad bits; you’ve seen a few overs from Maharaj to Shan that get some pitch and bounce. So a spinner is a bit of a challenge for a batsman. But against a fast bowler, if you’ve settled, just play your normal game.”
Babar’s story of return
Babar’s return to red-ball cricket has been impressive, especially after he was dropped from Pakistan’s Test squad at home against England last year. Looking back on that phase, Babar spoke about the mental challenges he faced.
“Things change all the time in life,” he said. “I learned a lot during this time [of poor form] when I couldn’t do what I wanted to do and when I couldn’t do the things people expected of me.”
Despite a recent string of fifties, Babar is still chasing the long-awaited century. His determination to spend time at the crease is evident.
“I just told myself to stay calm and believe that my ability and hard work will be justified, and to try to enjoy myself. But what was really important was to spend some time on the pitch, and luckily [that has happened this series]”, he added.
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