Afghanistan v Pakistan 2023

Watch: Babar Azam falls for three-ball duck after misreading Mujeeb Ur Rahman, reviews in vain

by Wisden Staff August 22, 2023 - 12:00pm 2 minute read

Watch: In the first ODI of the three-match series, in Hambantota, Mujeeb Ur Rahman trapped Babar Azam leg-before for a three-ball duck.

Pakistan were hit early after Babar Azam won the toss in the first ODI. Fakhar Zaman slashed at the fourth ball of the match, bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi, with limited foot movement. Mohammad Nabi at second slip held the catch on rebound.

Babar walked out at No.3. He drove the first ball firmly to mid-off. He did not middle the next ball – the last of the over – and it rolled to mid-on.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman came to bowl the second over. Imam-ul-Haq played out the first four balls before flicking the fifth to switch the strike.

Mujeeb pitched the ball on off-stump. Babar went forward to defend but missed the line completely, and the ball hit him on the front pad, and he was given out leg-before.

Babar reviewed, perhaps more out of desperation: replays revealed that the ball would have crashed into middle and leg. Mujeeb became the fourth bowler, after Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Saqib Mahmood, to dismiss Babar for a duck in ODIs.

Mujeeb trapped Mohammad Rizwan leg-before shortly afterwards, while Rashid Khan and Nabi struck once each. At the time of writing, Pakistan were 114-5 in 28.4 overs with Imam (46) and Shadab Khan (0) at the crease.