Pakistan faced another potential defeat on Day 4 in Multan, collapsing to 43/4 after conceding a first-innings lead of 267, largely due to Joe Root’s double century and Harry Brook’s triple ton.
The hosts needed to survive five sessions with the bat to avoid defeat, mirroring their impressive first-innings score of 556, but the pressure of being behind ultimately proved too much for them.
Abdullah Shafique’s dismissal on the first ball set a grim tone, and Babar Azam’s continued struggles—he hasn’t scored a Test half-century since England’s last tour two years ago—sealed the team’s fate, marking yet another record-extending home loss.
Babar came in during the ninth over, initially displaying his characteristic caution and even striking a boundary off Gus Atkinson in the 12th over.
However, just two balls later, Atkinson bowled a well-placed delivery that nipped away off the pitch, resulting in Babar’s outside edge being caught by the wicketkeeper.
— alex (@AlexHivklzzyh) October 10, 2024
Babar’s average has now plummeted to a disappointing 43.92, down from a peak of 49.25, and his failure prompted a wave of criticism on social media.