NEW DELHI:
Babar Azam
is enduring a tough time as a fielder on the ongoing Australian tour as the former Pakistan captain gifted the home team a free run on Day 1 of the opening Test in Perth on Thursday.
The incident took place on the first delivery of the 64th over when Pakistan spinner
Salman Agha
bowled from around the wicket.
David Warner
used his feet in an attempted down the ground shot but he was beaten by spin and failed to connect the ball.
Subsequently, Pakistan wicketkeeper
Sarfaraz Ahmed
also failed to collect the ball and it deflected off his gloves into Babar's hands at slip. He realised that Warner was out of his crease and attempted a run out at the striker's end. However, the ball went into the outfield, allowing Warner to secure an extra run through a bye.
Earlier, Babar committed a same mistake during the warm-up match against Prime Minister's XI to facilitate Matt Renshaw bringing up his half-century with a 'seven'.
Renshaw, who was on 47, hit off-spinner Abrar Ahmed across the covers as the ball went past Mir Hamza.
But he came up with a brilliant piece of fielding, making a full stretch dive to save a single run. He threw the ball at the non-striker's end where Babar Azam collected it.
Babar then threw the ball thinking he had a chance to effect a run out at the striker's end. But the ball went through between captain Shan Masood and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed before reaching the boundary ropes.
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