ABBOTTABAD: Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam endured a disappointing return to first-class cricket after scoring just 12 runs in the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-I match at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Babar, representing Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), returned to first-class cricket after a seven-year absence.
The 31-year-old last played in the format for the now-defunct Central Punjab. He led the team to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title during his previous stint.
However, his comeback innings against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) lasted only 20 balls.
Fast bowler Arshad Iqbal dismissed Babar with a bouncer after the batter attempted to take on the short delivery.
The early dismissal denied Babar a substantial score in his first competitive red-ball appearance in seven years.
Babar returned to domestic first-class cricket to gain valuable match practice in the longer format. He has struggled for runs in Test cricket in recent years.
The Pakistan captain has not scored a Test century since December 2022.
Since the beginning of 2023, Babar has averaged 30.43 in Test cricket and scored eight half-centuries in his last 39 innings.
His return to first-class cricket was seen as an opportunity to regain confidence and rhythm ahead of future Test assignments.
However, his early dismissal against KRL has extended his wait for a significant score in red-ball cricket.
