WATCH: Babar Azam emulates Virat Kohli; takes horrible review despite bowler’s protest

Pakistan’s Tour of West Indies resumed yesterday with the first Test match. Despite winning the only T20I which ended in a result, Pakistan would have been disappointed not to have got enough game time in the shortest format of the game considering the T20I is in a few months’ time. 

Babar Azam didn’t make any notable contribution with the bat as Pakistan collapsed for a meagre score of 217. However, he provided a notable moment during West Indies’ first innings as he got a review horribly wrong. 

Kraigg Brathwaite was batting on 30 and was looking in good touch. Shaheen Shah Afridi steamed in and bowled a nice delivery which struck Brathwaite on his left pad. The young bowling sensation immediately appealed for an LBW, as bowlers do whenever they get a slightest chance to do so.

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The umpire was in no doubt and didn’t raise his finger. Babar, who has been Pakistan’s test captain for almost a year now, asked Shaheen Shah Afridi if he wanted to go upstairs. The bowler quickly nodded his head in disapproval as he believed the ball was missing the stumps. 

Usually, captains don’t take a review when the bowler himself thinks it’s not out, but since the wicket keeper Mohammad Rizwan was feeling confident Babar controversially decided to consult the 3rd umpire. 

On seeing the review, it was evident that despite the ball had not hit the bat, it was nowhere close to hitting the stumps. Perhaps it would have hit the 6th stump if 3 more stumps were placed on the leg side, it was that far out. Babar should have listened to the bowler and not taken the review.

Babar’s compatriot from India Virat Kohli has also done similar mistakes in the past and a similar incident happened on Day 2 of the ongoing second Test of the five-match series between India and England. Kohli took a DRS even though the bowler Mohammad Siraj wasn’t sure about the validity of the appeal. He didn’t find enough support from wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and other fielders as well but he still went for the review, which ultimately went in favour of the batsman.

Babar Azam will be hoping to not only improve his decision making in the future but also get back to his best on the batting front in the second innings of the match against West Indies.