Babar Azam torn to shreds as Pakistan reduced to 32/5 in horrific collapse vs NZ, fan says 'missed century by 99 runs'

Pakistan faced a batting collapse in their 293-run chase against New Zealand, with the side's premier batter, Babar Azam, falling for just 1.

Pakistan's chase of 293 in the second ODI against New Zealand turned into a nightmare as their top order crumbled under relentless pressure from the Kiwi pacers. In a catastrophic start, the visitors slumped to 32/5 in 11.4 overs, virtually ending any hopes of a successful chase. Among the early casualties was former captain Babar Azam, whose prolonged struggles with the bat have become an increasing concern.

Pakistan's Babar Azam during the ODI series against New Zealand (AFP)

New Zealand’s bowlers came out with fire, exploiting assistance from the surface. Jacob Duffy and his fellow Kiwi pacers rattled Pakistan's top order, dismantling their backbone in the blink of an eye. The dismissals began early, but it was Babar’s fall that deepened Pakistan’s woes.

Babar Azam, once the bedrock of Pakistan’s batting lineup, lasted just four balls before falling for a mere run in the fourth over. Coming in at a 7/1 after Imam-ul-Haq’s departure, all eyes were on Babar to anchor the innings. Instead, he became another victim of New Zealand’s incisive bowling, undone by an absolute beauty from Duffy.

Duffy, bowling at 135.1 kph, delivered a back-of-a-length ball outside off stump that jagged away sharply. Babar, tentatively prodding at it from the back foot, failed to account for the movement. A faint edge was all it took for Henry Nicholls at second slip to complete the dismissal, sending shockwaves through the Pakistan dressing room.

Here's how fans reacted as Babar failed again:

Pakistan faced further setbacks in their run-chase, with Tayyab Tahir falling on 13 and Mohammad Wasim Jr. scoring only 1; at the time of writing, the side was reeling at 97/7 at the halfway mark in the chase.

New Zealand’s innings

Earlier, the hosts posted a competitive 292/8, riding on a brilliant unbeaten 99 from Mitchell Hay. The middle-order batter took charge in the latter half of the innings, launching seven sixes and as many fours in his 78-ball knock. Sufiyan Muqeem was the standout performer for Pakistan with figures of 2/33, while Mohammad Wasim Jr also chipped in with two scalps.

However, all of Pakistan’s efforts with the ball were rendered meaningless once their batting unit disintegrated. With Babar’s slump continuing and no visible roadmap for recovery, Pakistan find themselves in crisis mode.