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Sports Desk: Pakistan's Babar Azam underlined his status as one of the world's leading batsmen with a fine unbeaten fifty against England on an interrupted opening day of the first Test at Old Trafford on Wednesday.<\/p>\nSports Desk: Pakistan's Babar Azam underlined his status as one of the world's leading batsmen with a fine unbeaten fifty against England on an interrupted opening day of the first Test at Old Trafford on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
When bad light forced an early close, Pakistan were 139-2, with Babar 69 not out and Shan Masood unbeaten on 46.<\/p>\n
But left-handed opener Masood was twice missed on 45 by England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler either side of a lengthy rain break, with off-spinner Dom Bess the unlucky bowler on both occasions.<\/p>\n
The prolific Babar has now reached a half-century in five successive Test innings, with his previous five matches yielding four hundreds.<\/p>\n
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, commentating for Sky Sports, said Babar could be considered alongside players such as India captain Virat Kohli.<\/p>\n
“If this lad was Virat Kohli, everyone would be talking about it but because it is Babar Azam, no one is talking about it,” said Hussain.<\/p>\n
“He's young, he's elegant, he's got all the swagger,” he added.<\/p>\n
“They keep going on about the ‘Fab Four (Kohli, Australia's Steve Smith, New Zealand's Kane Wiliamson and England captain Joe Root) — it's the ‘Fab Five' and Babar Azam is in that.”<\/p>\n
When play resumed in the early evening after a long rain delay, Root was soon bowling his occasional off-breaks in tandem with Bess to try and keep the match going under grey skies after Jofra Archer had pitched short to Babar.<\/p>\n
But even with two spinners bowling and the floodlights on, the umpires still called a halt at 6:12 pm (1712 GMT).<\/p>\n
Pakistan were 43-2 when Babar came in to bat after captain Azhar Ali, who had won the toss, fell lbw for a duck to Chris Woakes.<\/p>\n
– Babar's style\u00a0 \u2013<\/p>\n
Babar started cautiously but after the lunch interval he unfurled an array of stylish attacking shots.<\/p>\n
He struck express paceman Archer down the ground for four before driving Bess for another boundary to bring up Pakistan's hundred.<\/p>\n
Bess, however, should have removed Masood for 45 when he took the left-hander's outside edge but Buttler dropped the chance.<\/p>\n
Then, following the rain delay, Buttler missed a chance to stump Masood after the batsman charged down the pitch.<\/p>\n
The mistakes will revive discussion about the wicketkeeper's place in the side with Ben Foakes, arguably a superior gloveman, waiting in the wings.<\/p>\n
Babar drew level on 45 not out with Masood, who was on 22 when the right-hander came into bat, going on to complete an impressive 70-ball fifty, including nine boundaries.<\/p>\n
The conditions favoured England's four-man pace attack, who had been involved in last month's 2-1 series win over the West Indies, completed at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
In contrast, Pakistan's preparations for the three-match series amounted to just two intra-squad warm-up games.<\/p>\n
Masood and fellow opener Abid Ali did well to survive the first hour before Archer struck.<\/p>\n
Having tested Abid with several short-pitched deliveries, the paceman bowled him with a full-length ball for 16 before Azhar was lbw to a Woakes nip-backer for a six-ball duck.<\/p>\n
England have not won a Test series against Pakistan since 2010 and they came into this match having lost the series opener in each of their past five campaigns against all opponents.<\/p>\n
As was the case during the West Indies series, the three-match campaign is taking place behind closed doors on health grounds, with Pakistan denied the vibrant and vocal support they usually enjoy in England.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sports Desk: Pakistan’s Babar Azam underlined his status as one of the world’s leading batsmen with a fine unbeaten fifty against England on an interrupted opening day of the first Test at Old Trafford on Wednesday. When bad light forced an early close, Pakistan were 139-2, with Babar 69 not out and Shan Masood unbeaten […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":61398,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n