Babar Azam's struggles continue as he records 8th duck in Pakistan vs Bangladesh 1st Test, marking an unwanted career first

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Pakistan got off to a faltering start as they batted first in their opening Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. After winning the toss, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl first. The home team found themselves in trouble early on, losing three wickets for just 16 runs in 8.2 overs. Fast bowlers Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud were the architects of Pakistan's early collapse, taking crucial wickets. Shoriful was particularly impressive, claiming two scalps, including that of former Pakistan skipper and star batsman Babar Azam who was dismissed without scoring.

While wicketkeeper Litton Das took a stunner of a catch, it was a delivery that Babar could have just let go. Babar was facing just his second delivery of his innings and it was short and going down the leg side. The former Pakistan Test captain took a lunge at it and got an inside edge to Litton's left.

A worrying run of form

It was Babar's eighth Test duck and the first time he was dismissed without scoring at home in international red-ball cricket. It is part of a worrying dip in form for the star batter. Babar had averaged 58.67 in Tests between 2019 and December 2022. In this time, he plundered runs all over the world and not just at home, over 50 in Australia, nearly 50 in England and West Indies, nearly 70 in Sri Lanka and over 80 in Pakistan.

Since then, though, he has averaged 37.41 and has scored just one hundred and three fifties in nine Tests. His poor form in red-ball cricket has also spilled over into other formats and this also comes at a time when Babar's status as Pakistan's captain in all forms of the game was ended. He was rather unimpressive in the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Delayed start

The first Test was off to a delayed start due to a wet outfield. The two umpires -- Richard Kettleborough of England and Adrian Holdstock of South Africa -- made four inspections of the ground but found wet patches due to overnight rain, deemed dangerous for play. No play was possible before lunch with 230 minutes of play lost, curtailing the day to 48 overs. The weather forecast for all five days is not encouraging with rain and bad light predicted.

Pakistan entered the Test with four fast bowlers in all-pace attack with no frontline spinner while Bangladesh included three pacers and two spinners. The two-match series is part of the nine-team World Test championship with Pakistan currently sixth in the standings and Bangladesh eighth.

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