New Delhi: Former Pakistani skipper and star player Babar Azam has seem to found his form back, as the batter scored his third consecutive fifty in the ongoing five-match T20I series against the Black Caps.
Babar Azam, who was under fire due to his recent lacklustre form, has seemingly found his grove back on Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand for the five-match T20I series.
The former Pakistani skipper has scored 57 (35), 66 (43) and 58 (37) in the three matches of the series so far.
However, as an anticlimactic twist, despite Babar’s power show, Pakistan lost all three matches by 46, 21 and 45 runs, respectively, handing the hosts an unassailable lead of 3-0 in the five-match series.
With two matches still to go in the series, Mitchell Santner and company will try to register a 5-0 whitewash against the men in green to get themselves some much-needed momentum before the ICC T20I World Cup later this year.
On the contrary, the men in green will need to step up their game and win the next two matches for their pride and avoid their second consecutive series whitewash, as they were whitewashed 3-0 in the three-match test series on their trip to Australia.
Netizens react
Netizens on X (Formerly known as Twitter) started to flood the social media platform with praises towards Babar Azam while also sharing memes on the Pakistani cricket team’s disappointing performances in the series.
Check out their reactions below:
The Reason Behind Pakistan Lose #BabarAzam𓃵 #BabarAzam pic.twitter.com/R85LCA9Cmx
— Adnan Matloob (@AdnanMatloob5) January 17, 2024
Babar Azam’s SIX nearly hit a spectator in the crowd. He was saved by an inch or two. Babar Azam was visibily worried about the well-being of the gentleman. pic.twitter.com/qHv35rUHJz
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) January 17, 2024
Vintage pct fans who are used to waking up early only to see the team losing shamelessly : #NZvsPAK #BabarAzam𓃵 pic.twitter.com/5c4Yua2DXf
— U M A R (@Agrumpycomedian) January 17, 2024
Only Babar Azam fans are allowed to like this Tweet #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/EFfledYn5M
— Ehtisham Siddique (@iMShami_) January 17, 2024
No fan of Babar Azam will pass without liking this Tweet #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/dOnGzKDwwh
— PSL Memes (@PSL_Memes_) January 17, 2024
Babar nation we are well and truly back 🐐💥#BabarAzam𓃵 |#BabarAzam |#PAKvsNZ pic.twitter.com/5skOxBjOBf
— Bobbynat!0n_👑 (@bobbynation56) January 17, 2024
Aqib Javed be Like:
Atleast Shaheen can win Tosses unlike Babar Azam pic.twitter.com/W30CXHWU4i
— عاقد (@aquidtweets) January 17, 2024
Commentator on 🎙️
“ You can’t put any Blame on Babar Azam “#NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/aPvit3L2ML
— Ehtisham Siddique (@iMShami_) January 17, 2024
Babar Azam becomes the first Asian to score 3 fifties in losing causes in a T20i series. pic.twitter.com/oRMug71d3H
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 17, 2024
– 57(35) in first T20I.
– 66(43) in second T20I.
– 58(37) in third T20I.Babar Azam has 33 fifties & 3 hundreds from just 101 innings in T20I – one of the finest from Pakistan cricket history. pic.twitter.com/WI0jG8JGpp
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 17, 2024
This Series will be remembered as #BabarAzam𓃵 Vs New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/RgsA1SBP2o
— عاقد (@aquidtweets) January 17, 2024
Finn Allen’s dominance
Earlier, Pakistani skipper Shaheen Afridi won the toss and opted to bowl first, but New Zealand opener Finn Allen (137), with his historic innings decorated with 16 sixes, which is the joint most by any player in a T20I innings, powered the Kiwis to 224 for 7 in 20 overs.
Finn Allen 16 sixes vs Pakistan today. 🫡#NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/NU0iA8GEj5
— 𝐾𝑖𝑤𝑖𝑠 𝐹𝑎𝑁𝑠 🇳🇿 (@NZcricketfans) January 17, 2024
In reply, despite Babar Azam (58) playing a fighting knock, Pakistan fell short of the required target by 45 runs, giving the Black Caps the series win with two matches still to go.
