Pakistan captain Shan Masood believes Babar Azam will deliver with the bat in the opening Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on May 8. After an outstanding Pakistan Super League campaign, Babar heads into the red-ball series carrying strong form and renewed confidence. However, it remains to be seen whether the star Pakistan batter can maintain the same momentum in red-ball cricket.
The former Pakistan captain endured a lengthy wait for a Test century, having last reached the landmark in 2022. His recent performances in the PSL, however, have reignited expectations around his role in the batting order. Representing Peshawar Zalmi, Babar accumulated 588 runs in 11 matches, averaging 73.02 while maintaining a strike-rate of 145.90 during the title-winning run.
Speaking about that, Masood made it clear that Pakistan view Babar’s rhythm with the bat as a major boost ahead of the two-match Test series.
"I believe he is one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever produced. Having him scoring runs is always beneficial, as runs provide a batsman with essential confidence. It is a very good time for us because he is entering this series with a significant number of runs from the PSL. We are looking forward to Babar replicating those performances in these Test matches," Masood said in the pre-match press conference.
Babar is one of the best players in the world: Masood
Pakistan’s captain also backed Babar’s ability to switch formats without difficulty, pointing to his experience and adaptability at the highest level.
"Look, I think again, what matters is the present and in the present moment he is coming back with quite a lot of runs in his account. And he's one of the best players in the world, and he has that adjustment that he can come from T20s into Test matches and sort of bring the same form with him," he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan haven’t won a Test series away from home in the last three years. Their performance in the longest format has been under security for sometime, but in spin-friendly conditions, the Masood-led side has dominated the proceedings.
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