Babar Azam Drops Dolly To Hand Reprieve To Joe Root, England Batter Goes On To Score Double Hundred- WATCH
Photo : AP
Ace Pakistan batter Babar Azam, who has already copped a lot of flak, on Thursday dropped an easy catch of Joe Root to hand the latter a life and put his team into even more trouble. Being handed a life with that ease, Root made full use of the opportunity and went on to score a double hundred, piling up even more despair for the Pakistan bowlers who have been toiling hard for over two days now.
On a flat pitch in Multan, the Pakistan bowlers toiled with little to show for on the third day of the first Test against England, with the visitors finishing on 492/3 at stumps. With the situation already beyond control, Babar dropped Root.
Pacer Naseem Shah had managed to induce a false stroke from Root when he was on 186 and the England batter fell in the trap. He hit straight to Babar at mid-wicket but the former Pakistan captain dropped a very easy catch and everyone was left distraught. Watch the video here:
Root and Harry Brook went on to hit career-best double hundreds in a record-breaking fourth-wicket partnership as England eyed a big lead in the first Test.
England progressed to 658/3 at lunch on Day 4 for a lead of 102 runs as Pakistan missed out on specialist leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who could not take the field because of a fever.
Although centurion Agha Salman, besides Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel, bowled some spin, none of them could provide the much-needed breakthrough for the longest time, before the former got the better of Root in the 137th over, as the England batter departed for a brilliant 262.
Root raised his sixth double century and moved to 259 while Brook continued to dishearten Pakistan on a benign wicket with his maiden double hundred and was unbeaten on 218 off 257 deliveries.
On Wednesday, Root became England's highest run-scorer in Tests and moved to No. 5 in overall Test runs.
Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Cricket, Sports and around the world.
