Babar Azam falls for 12 on first-class return

Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam was dismissed for 12 on his return to first-class cricket after seven years, falling to a bouncer from Khan Research Laboratories fast bowler Arshad Iqbal in a President's Trophy Grade-I match at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Azam, playing for Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), faced 20 deliveries before the short ball ended his innings. ARY News reported that Azam attempted to take on the delivery but could not make a significant contribution in his first competitive red-ball appearance in seven years. Gulf News also carried the dismissal with the same score.

The 31-year-old last played first-class cricket for Central Punjab, a side he led to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title. Following that campaign, his first-class appearances were limited as international commitments took priority.

ARY News said Azam returned to the President's Trophy to get valuable time in the longer format amid a prolonged struggle for runs in Test cricket. The outlet reported that Azam has not scored a Test century since December 2022 and that his numbers have declined considerably since the beginning of 2023. In that period, he averages 30.43 in Tests and has managed eight half-centuries across his last 39 innings.

Azam has remained a constant presence in Pakistan's Test side, but the absence of a century for more than three and a half years has brought his red-ball form under scrutiny. His first-class comeback was seen as a chance to regain confidence and rhythm in red-ball cricket, but the early dismissal extends the wait for a substantial score. A clip of the dismissal was shared widely on social media. The President's Trophy format will give Azam further innings in the coming days to find form.