New Delhi: Pakistan captain Shan Masood expressed confidence that Babar Azam will perform well with the bat in the upcoming opening Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on May 8. Babar enters the red-ball series following an impressive campaign in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he showcased strong form and revived confidence.
Despite a lengthy gap since his last Test century, achieved in 2022, Babar’s performance in the PSL has reignited expectations for his contributions in the batting order. As a key player for Peshawar Zalmi, he accumulated 588 runs over 11 matches, averaging 73.02 with a strike rate of 145.90 during their title-winning run.
Masood emphasized the significance of Babar’s form ahead of the two-match Test series, stating, “I believe he is one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever produced. Having him scoring runs is always beneficial, as runs provide a batsman with essential confidence. It is a very good time for us because he is entering this series with a significant number of runs from the PSL. We are looking forward to Babar replicating those performances in these Test matches.”
Furthermore, Masood endorsed Babar’s capacity to switch formats seamlessly, citing his experience and adaptability at the highest level. “What matters is the present, and in the present moment he is coming back with quite a lot of runs in his account. He’s one of the best players in the world, and he has that adjustment that he can come from T20s into Test matches and sort of bring the same form with him,” he added.
Historically, Pakistan has not secured a Test series victory away from home in the past three years, indicating persistent struggles in the longest format. However, in conditions favorable to spin, the Masood-led team has shown dominance in past matches.
