Babar Azam’s return to first-class cricket after seven years concluded with a brief and dismal outing on Day 3 of the ongoing match between Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and Khan Research Laboratories on Saturday, September 26. The 31-year-old was removed for 12 runs while playing for his team in the third round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Babar faced 20 deliveries, hitting two boundaries and scoring at a strike rate of 60.00 before being caught by Abdul Faseeh on a bouncer from Arshad Iqbal. His departure put OGDCL in significant difficulty at 46-4 in the first innings, chasing KRL’s 398.

Babar had not played domestic first-class cricket since December 2019, making this one of the most anticipated matches of the President’s Trophy Grade-I season. He arrived at the crease on the third day of the match, having not batted on the first two days.

How was Babar Azam dismissed upon his return?

Babar Azam innings ended after he tried to hit a short-pitched delivery from Arshad Iqbal and was caught by Abdul Faseeh in the field. The bouncer accounted for a hitter who had been absent from the domestic first-class circuit for nearly seven years.

Arshad Iqbal was KRL’s most threatening bowler during the OGDCL’s first innings, taking three of the four wickets that fell before the total reached 46. His spell put KRL comfortably in command of the game, with OGDCL facing a difficult challenge in avoiding the follow-on against a side that had scored 398 in their first innings.

How was the atmosphere at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium?

Throughout the contest, Babar Azam presence attracted a lot of attention from the crowd. Fans rushed onto the pitch during play to meet him, demonstrating the level of interest his local comeback sparked across Pakistan.

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His previous first-class outing for a domestic side was in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final in December 2019. The seven-year gap from that format elevated this President’s Trophy match above the level of a typical third-round battle. Despite the length of his innings and the tight position it placed OGDCL in, the event was significant given Babar’s extended absence from Pakistan’s domestic first-class scene.

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