One desperate dive, 12 missing runs: Babar Azam's 88 becomes the cruellest chapter of his Test drought

Babar Azam's 88 ended in a cruel run-out, leaving him on his knees and extending a Test century drought that has now stretched beyond 1,300 days.

Babar Azam stayed down on his knees even after the replay had confirmed what everyone already knew. His bat remained stretched towards the crease after the desperate dive, the stumps were broken and the West Indies fielders were celebrating around him. For a few moments, however, Babar barely moved.

Babar Azam after being run-out on 88 vs West Indies. (AFP)

The image captured far more than the disappointment of being run out for 88. It showed the weight of a Test century that has remained beyond Babar’s reach for more than three-and-a-half years. He had come closer than at any point during that barren period, only for the opportunity to disappear through a dismissal that did not require a bowler to beat him.

Babar made 88 from 147 deliveries, striking 10 fours and a six. Alongside Abdullah Shafique, he added 183 runs for the third wicket and dragged Pakistan into a strong position after the early loss of two wickets. It was a composed innings built through patience rather than desperation, with Babar appearing increasingly secure as the partnership developed.

That control made the ending even more painful.

Babar Azam’s Test-century wait continues

Babar’s previous Test hundred came against New Zealand in Karachi on December 26, 2022, when he produced a commanding 161. By the time he was dismissed for 88 on August 4, 2026, the wait had stretched to 1,317 days — three years, seven months and nine days. His Test-century tally remains frozen at nine.

There have been half-centuries during that period, along with brief signs that the breakthrough was approaching, but none had carried Babar as close as this innings. The 88 is his highest Test score since the 161 against New Zealand and the first time during the drought that he had entered the nervous nineties’ immediate neighbourhood.

That scarcity is striking because hundreds were once central to Babar’s reputation. He was not merely valued for elegant starts or attractive half-centuries. His standing among the world’s leading batters was built on the ability to control innings, bat for long periods and turn promising positions into substantial scores. That conversion has disappeared from his Test cricket.

The wider international drought did end when Babar scored an unbeaten ODI century against Sri Lanka in November 2025. That innings provided relief after a long wait across formats, but Test cricket has continued to deny him. The hundred in Karachi remains his most recent in the longest format, and every meaningful start since has carried the burden of that statistic.

The pressure was visible after this dismissal. Babar Azam had resumed his innings within touching distance of the landmark and had already completed the difficult part of the job. He had negotiated the new ball, settled against spin and constructed a major partnership. With Pakistan closing in on West Indies’ total, the situation appeared ideal for him to end the wait.

Instead, an attempted run left him scrambling back towards his crease. He threw himself forward, extending the bat as far as possible, but the replay showed that he was short.

There was no immediate walk back to the dressing room. Babar remained on the ground, helmet lowered, as though processing not only the run-out but everything the dismissal represented.

For Pakistan, 88 was a valuable contribution. It helped transform the innings and placed the side within range of West Indies. In isolation, it was an excellent Test knock under pressure. For Babar, though, it was impossible to view the innings in isolation.

The drought has become part of every discussion surrounding his batting. A fifty is evidence of returning rhythm, but it is no longer enough to close the debate. An 80 is a significant contribution, yet it also brings renewed attention to the missing hundred.

That is the cruelty of his current position. Babar appears closer to his best than he did during the darkest stages of the slump. He is spending longer at the crease, finding fluency and reaching positions from which a major score should follow.

But until he raises his bat after reaching three figures in a Test again, every near-miss will deepen the frustration. The sight of Babar on his knees after being run out for 88 may become the defining image of this innings: a batter only 12 runs away from ending a 1,317-day wait, yet forced to leave with the landmark still painfully out of reach.