Pakistan enjoyed a successful outing in the first Test of the series against Sri Lanka earlier this month, kickstarting their World Test Championship cycle with a four-wicket win in Galle. Saud Shakeel was the star of the match for the visitors, smashing a brilliant double ton in the first innings as he revived the Pakistan innings after a middle-order collapse. And it looks like Pakistan are going full-throttle for a series sweep – weather permitting – as they made a dominant start to the second Test too.
The visitors bowled Sri Lanka out for merely 166 and took a lead on the opening day itself, ending at 177/2 on Day 1. After the entire play on Day 2 was called off due to incessant rains in Colombo, Pakistan started strongly when the action resumed on Wednesday. However, despite no play on the second day of the Test, the internet seemed fascinated over a certain bit of action during Pakistan's batting on Day 1.
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A shot from Babar Azam has seemingly divided the internet, with the debate being whether the Pakistan captain played it intentionally. In the video that has since gone viral on social media, Babar hits a four against pacer Asitha Fernando in a rather unusual manner. On a delivery that was full and outside off, it looked Babar was aiming at lifting the bat and leaving it. However, the batter gets the bat to connect with the ball late, finding the gap between first slip and gully.
{{/usCountry}}A shot from Babar Azam has seemingly divided the internet, with the debate being whether the Pakistan captain played it intentionally. In the video that has since gone viral on social media, Babar hits a four against pacer Asitha Fernando in a rather unusual manner. On a delivery that was full and outside off, it looked Babar was aiming at lifting the bat and leaving it. However, the batter gets the bat to connect with the ball late, finding the gap between first slip and gully.
{{/usCountry}}Watch the shot:
While many believed that Babar, indeed, intended to play the shot in that direction, there was another set of fans who insisted that it was accidental and that the Pakistan skipper wanted to let the ball through for wicketkeeper.
Babar had a quiet outing in the first Test of the series against Sri Lanka, registering scores of 13 and 24 across two innings. Preceding the series, Babar's captaincy had come under significant scanner, with the side failing to win a single Test over the past year at home. While the side faced a 0-1 defeat to Australia, it faced a 0-3 whitewash to Ben Stokes' England.
Against New Zealand, both Tests of the series were drawn.