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Babar Azam's wait for a Test century continued as he was dismissed for just eight runs during Pakistan's first innings against England in the second Test at Lord's. The Pakistan batter edged Josh Tongue to Jordan Cox at third slip, leaving his side in further trouble after losing early wickets.
Babar's latest failure has extended his Test century drought to 36 innings. The Pakistan captain has now found himself on an unwanted list alongside several bowlers who have gone through lengthy spells without scoring a Test hundred.
Babar Azam enters unwanted list as Test century drought extends
Babar Azam came to the crease with Pakistan under pressure after Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique had already departed. However, his stay lasted only 10 deliveries as Tongue once again targeted the batter's weakness outside the off stump.
He attempted to defend but played with hard hands, resulting in an edge that flew towards third slip. Jordan Cox moved across and completed the catch, with Babar walking back after scoring eight runs off 10 balls, including two fours.
The dismissal extended Babar Azam's wait for a Test century to 36 innings since 2023. He has now gone without a hundred for a considerable period and has entered a list largely dominated by bowlers.
Most Innings in Test Without Century (Since 2023):
| Innings | Player |
|---|---|
| 50 | Mitchell Starc |
| 47 | Pat Cummins |
| 44 | Mohammed Siraj |
| 41 | Nathan Lyon |
| 36 | Babar Azam* |
| 36 | Prabath Jayasuriya |
| 36 | Taijul Islam |
| 35 | Jayden Seales |
| 33 | Alick Athanaze |
| 32 | Jasprit Bumrah |
| 32 | Shoaib Bashir |
| 30 | Alzarri Joseph |
| 30 | Asitha Fernando |
Babar Azam is now level with Prabath Jayasuriya and Taijul Islam at 36 innings without a Test century since 2023. The figure is particularly notable because most of the names above him or around him are specialist bowlers.
Pakistan folded for 110 in Lord's Test as Babar Azam fails
Babar Azam's failure came during another poor batting display from Pakistan at Lord's. The visitors were bowled out for just 110 in 37.2 overs, conceding a first-innings lead of 180 runs to England.
Azan Awais provided the biggest resistance for Pakistan, scoring 46 from 102 balls. Saud Shakeel contributed 16, while Babar was among several Pakistan batters who failed to spend significant time at the crease.
England's bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings. Ollie Robinson finished with four wickets for 11 runs, while Jofra Archer claimed three wickets for 26 runs. Josh Tongue also took two wickets.
The collapse left England in a commanding position. By the end of the second day's play, England had moved to 81/3 in their second innings and held a lead of 261 runs.
Babar Azam's dismissal was one of the key moments in Pakistan's collapse, as the former No. 1-ranked Test batter once again failed to provide the innings his team needed.
Pakistan head coach disappointed with poor batting
Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed admitted that the team's batting remains a major concern after another collapse in the series. Pakistan's inability to spend enough time at the crease allowed England to take control of the Test.
"The batting is a concern. In both Tests we haven't batted well. We try to create a combination that strengthens the batting. But unfortunately, that didn't work this innings either," Pakistan head coach stated.
Sarfaraz also highlighted the importance of spending time at the crease in challenging English conditions. He praised Azan Awais for facing 102 deliveries and top-scoring with 46.
"The team keeps getting out in 30-odd overs," Sarfaraz said. "We're unable to spend time at the crease. They're challenging conditions for batters, but you're rewarded if you spend time at the crease. The first 30-40 balls are difficult for batters, but if you get out of them, you'll find it easier, like Azan did. The first hour for a batter requires good technique as a batting unit."
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