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Watch: Babar Azam left dumbstruck as Cummins' sensational catch cuts short Pakistan captain's knock vs AUS
Babar Azam was shell-shocked at the diving catch from Pat Cummins as the Pakistan skipper failed to make a mark in the 368-run chase.
The stage was set for Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, to demonstrate his mettle in a high-scoring run-chase on a rather flatter track of Bengaluru during the 2023 World Cup against Australia. However, the Pakistan captain found himself succumbing to immense pressure; Babar faced just 14 deliveries before his innings came to an abrupt end. He was caught by the Australian skipper, Pat Cummins, who took a spectacular diving catch to cut short Babar's innings.
Australia had posted an impressive total of 367/9 in their 50 overs on the batting-friendly Chinnaswamy surface. With Babar, the current world No. 1 batsman, at the helm, Pakistan had high hopes in the run-chase. The beginning of Pakistan's innings was promising, as Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq both notched up half-centuries. However, as back-to-back dismissals of the two set the stage for Babar and Mohammad Rizwan, it was crucial for them to build a partnership that could restore Pakistan's dominance in the chase.
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Yet, in the 27th over of the match, Babar's handed his wicket at the hands of Adam Zampa. A length delivery from Zampa prompted Babar to attempt a pull shot towards midwicket, but the timing wasn't on his side, and Cummins dived to his right to complete a remarkable catch. While Adam Zampa was charged up with the dismissal, Babar couldn't help but stare at Rizwan at the non-striker's end.
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Babar has had an underwhelming World Cup 2023 so far; in four innings, the Pakistan captain has registered scores of 5, 10, and 50. His only half-century in the tournament came against India in Ahmedabad; however, his dismissal in the game had triggered a batting-order collapse as Pakistan conceded a seven-wicket loss.
Pakistan secured relatively easy wins in their first two matches against Netherlands and Sri Lanka before the loss to Rohit Sharma's men. Australia, meanwhile, made a strong comeback in their last match against Sri Lanka after twin defeats to India and South Africa. Earlier in the game, the Aussies put a mammoth score of 367/9 with David Warner (163) and Mitchell Marsh (121) smashing centuries.
