The form slump of former Pakistan captain Babar Azam shows no signs of easing, with the right-hander falling for a duck in the second ODI against the West Indies, raising fresh questions about his place in the national side.
After managing just 47 runs in the opening game of the series, Babar was expected to lead the charge in the second match. Instead, he was bowled by West Indies pacer Jayden Seales for a duck, marking the fifth time he has been dismissed without scoring in his ODI career. This was his first duck in the format since August 2023, against a rising Afghanistan side.
Perhaps more concerning for Pakistan is Babar's prolonged century drought across all formats. His last international hundred came nearly two years ago in a knock against Nepal during the 2023 Asia Cup. Since then, the prolific batter has gone 63 innings without reaching three figures, a run that is drawing growing scrutiny from fans and pundits alike.
Pakistan’s batting woes continued in the early stages of the second ODI, with West Indies opting to bowl first after winning the toss in Guyana. The hosts quickly reduced Pakistan to 37 for 2, removing both openers and putting pressure on the middle order.
Notably, both sides made changes to their playing XIs. Pakistan brought in Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, leaving out Naseem Shah, Faheem Ashraf, and Sufiyan Muqeem. The West Indies, meanwhile, replaced Romario Shepherd with Justin Greaves.
WI vs PAK Playing XIs
Pakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk/c), Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed
West Indies (Playing XI): Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (wk/c), Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, Jediah Blades