Salman Agha throws all his Pakistan teammates under the bus to defend Babar Azam

Babar Azam's struggle with the bat has continued, leaving fans and critics questioning the once-unstoppable Pakistan captain.

On the second day of the 2nd Test against Bangladesh, Babar's innings came to an abrupt end as he fell to Shakib Al Hasan after a mere 31-run stay in Rawalpindi.

The right-handed batter’s another poor outing adds to his troubling trend, as Babar has now gone 15 innings without a single fifty in Test cricket, leading the critics to question his place in the team.

This slump has been severe enough to see Babar drop six places in the ICC Test batters' rankings, intensifying the scrutiny on his approach and form.

Salman Agha defends Babar Azam amidst growing criticism over form

With each passing inning, the pressure mounts, and the chorus of criticism grows louder. However, in the backlash, Pakistan all-rounder Salman Agha came forward to defend the struggling white-ball captain.

Salman Agha has dismissed the criticism and urged the fans and exerts not to forget what Babar has done for Pakistan cricket over the past five years.

Salman Agha has reminded the critics of Babar's contributions to Pakistan, saying it cannot be overlooked and that it's crucial to support him during this challenging time.

While Babar may be struggling now, Salman Agha insists that this is merely a temporary dip in form and says the critics should also focus on other players who need to step up in the Pakistan team.

Salman Agha said at the press conference after the end of Day 1 of the second Test: “Babar Azam is a world-class player. As a cricketer, you go through these phases. He has scored consistently throughout the last five years. Soon, we will see him scoring big runs for Pakistan again.”

Salman Agha further said, “As a cricketer, you have such phases in your life. There are 10 other players on the team; you should focus on them. It’s fine if he’s struggling. He will return to scoring big runs very soon.”

Bangladesh in trouble after collapsing to 26/6 despite Miraz's five-wicket haul show

In the ongoing second and final Test match, Bangladesh's off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivered an exceptional performance, claiming 5 wickets for just 61 runs, which played a crucial role in restricting Pakistan to 274 runs in the first innings in Rawalpindi.

With this spell, Miraz recorded his tenth five-wicket haul in Test cricket, highlighting his significance in Bangladesh’s bowling attack. Taskin Ahmed, returning from injury, also made a notable contribution by taking 3 wickets for 57 runs, while Nahid Rana and Shakib Al Hasan took one wicket.

However, Bangladesh's fielding left much to be desired, with at least four dropped catches that allowed Pakistan to post a respectable total. One of the most critical errors was a missed catch off Saud Shakeel by Shadman Islam, which could have significantly influenced the match's outcome.

On Day 3, Bangladesh found themselves in a precarious situation, as they lost six wickets for just 26 runs, trailing Pakistan by 238 runs at the moment, with Khurram Shahzad taking four wickets and Mir Hamza two scalps before the tea break in Rawalpindi.