Babar Azam suffers horrific comeback, plays against Pakistan in Pakistan jersey

Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam had a disappointing outing in his first match in the shorter format for the Men in Green after more than 10 months. Babar, who was denied a spot in the T20I squad for the Asia Cup last month, faced backlash from fans on social media after the first T20I against South Africa.

Pakistan suffered a 55-run loss against a second-string South African side in the opening T20I at Rawalpindi on Tuesday, October 28. After opting to field first, the hosts allowed South Africa to post 195 on the board. In reply, Pakistan managed to score 139 runs in 18.1 overs and conceded a 0-1 lead in the series.

Watch: Babar Azam Dismissed for Two-Ball Duck in 1st T20I Against South Africa

Babar Azam’s much-anticipated T20I comeback ended in heartbreak as he was dismissed for a two-ball duck. Making his first appearance in the format since December 2024, the former Pakistan captain walked in to a roaring reception from over 16,000 fans.

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However, the excitement quickly turned to silence when Corbin Bosch picked up Babar’s wicket. Reeza Hendricks completed a simple catch at cover on the third ball of the sixth over.

The right-handed batter was just nine runs away from surpassing Rohit Sharma as the highest run-scorer in T20I history. Many fans hoped it would be a record-breaking innings.

Watch the video of the same posted by a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) below:

Contribution Of Babar Azam on His Come Back.

-Missed Run Out
-Dropped easy Catch
-Wasted Two Balls pic.twitter.com/698g7Qadde

— SheR•ALI (@Sher__Ali) October 28, 2025

Babar Azam Bags Unwanted Record with Duck on T20I Comeback

Babar Azam joined former skipper Shahid Afridi on an unwanted list after recording another duck in T20I cricket. The dismissal was his eighth career duck in the format, placing him third among Pakistan batters with the most zeroes.

Umar Akmal is currently at the top with 10 ducks, followed by Saim Ayub with nine. Afridi and Babar now share the third spot with eight each, while Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez have seven apiece.

Earlier in the match, Babar dropped a straightforward catch off George Linde in the 17th over. He, stationed at long-on, failed to hold on to a regulation chance that not only cost Pakistan a wicket but also went for four runs. Linde made full use of the lifeline, smashing 36 off 22 balls.

Babar Azam Was Not Playing for the Team - Kamran Akmal

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal criticized Babar Azam’s approach and the team’s selection choices. Speaking on his YouTube show The Game Plan, Akmal said Babar appeared more focused on proving a point to the coaching staff than contributing to the team’s cause.

"The way Babar got out today, he was not playing for the team. He just wanted to prove something to the coach — to show that he can change the label that's been put on him," Akmal said.

"You can't score runs by swinging your bat like that. Babar should play his natural shots, spend 8-10 balls to get in, then go big," he added.

Also read: Abhishek Sharma picked as top run-getter as Aussie legend makes bombshell IND-AUS T20I series predictions