Babar Azam might be Pakistan’s best batter on the South Africa tour, but he’s not entirely pleased with himself. The star batter scored three consecutive half-centuries in the ongoing Test series, yet frustration lingered as he failed to convert any of them into a hundred.
After Pakistan’s strong comeback on Day 3 at Newlands, Cape Town, Babar shared his thoughts. He admitted he was disappointed with both of his innings, particularly his dismissal late in the day’s play.
“I’m very disappointed with both innings. I started well, but didn’t finish well,” Babar said, speaking to ESPNCricinfo. “If you settle, you must go much bigger. That is why I was a bit upset. There were just 15 minutes left.”
Record-Breaking Partnership Keeps Pakistan in the Hunt
Babar’s opening stand with captain Shan Masood was the highlight of Pakistan’s second innings. Following on after being bowled out for 194, the duo shared a historic 205-run partnership — the highest opening stand in Test history while following on.
Babar played fluently for his 81 runs before falling to David Bedingham at slip, courtesy of a thick edge off a cover drive. The timing of his dismissal left him visibly frustrated, especially with Pakistan still trailing South Africa by 208 runs.
Skipper Shan Masood remained unbeaten on 102 off 166 balls at the close of Day 3, with nightwatchman Khurran Shahzad keeping him company at the other end.
Conditions and Challenges
Babar reflected on the pitch 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 settled down and built a partnership, it became easier.”
However, he cautioned that Day 4 could be tricky with left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj coming into play.
“There are some rough patches; you saw a couple of overs from Maharaj to Shan which got some turn and bounce. So the spinner is a bit of a challenge for the batter. But against the fast bowler, if you’re settled, just play your normal game.”
Babar’s Comeback Story
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. Reflecting on that phase, Babar opened up about the mental challenges he faced.
“Things change in life all the time,” he shared. “I learned a lot during this time [of poor form] when what I wanted to do I wasn’t able to do, and when I couldn’t do the things that people expected of me.”
Despite the recent string of fifties, Babar is still chasing a long-awaited century. His determination to spend time at the crease is evident.
“I just kept telling myself to stay calm, and believe that my ability and hard work would be vindicated, and to try and enjoy myself. But what was really important was to spend some time on the pitch, and thankfully [that has happened this series],” he added.
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