Australian captain Pat Cummins removed Babar Azam with an unplayable delivery to give struggling Pakistan another setback on Day 1 of the AUS Vs PAK 3rd Test at SCG on Wednesday
Pat Cummins has removed Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam for the third time in the ongoing Test bilateral series at the historic SCG on Day 1 of the final and Pink Test. The Australian captain has made Azam his bunny in this series. (AUS Vs PAK Scorecard | More Cricket News)
Pakistan were struggling on 4 runs when Babar joined captain Shan Masood at the crease after both the openers, Abdullah Shafique and debutant Saim Ayub went for ducks. Babar played some dashing cover drives to take the scorecard moving and Masood also supported from his side.
Pat Cummins continued his second over and came to bowl the 11th over. After setting Azam for out-swingers, he delivered an unplayable hooping in-dipper on the fifth delivery of the over. The ball hit his pads first, but it seemed as if it may go down the legside. Umpires turned down the appeal, but Cummins asked for a review where it appeared as three reds and Babar had to go back.
Pat Cummins was the player of the match for taking a 10-wicket haul in the Boxing Day Test at MCG in the last match and he has continued his fine form at SCG as well. Babar Azam's poor form continued in Sydney as well. He has been unsuccessful in playing even an impactful inning on this tour.
At the time of filing the report, Pakistan were 251/9 in 59 overs with Cummins taking five of those wickets, for figures of 5/57 in 15 overs. Already a legend of the game, the 30-year-old from Westmead in New South Wales triggered a bidding war at the recent player auction ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This Indian summer, he will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL where the world's top talents, albeit without Pakistani stars, gather in the subcontinent for cricket's biggest carnival. And Cummins will be one of the star attractions, again.