Pakistan’s Babar Azam (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Once hailed as Pakistan’s modern batting genius, Babar Azam is fast running out of excuses. The right-hander’s struggles continued in Faisalabad, where he scored just 7 runs in the first ODI against South Africa — extending his century drought to 80 international innings. For a player who was once compared to Virat Kohli, Babar’s recent record paints a worrying picture. Since his last international hundred — against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup — he has failed to cross three figures even once across formats. In his last 30 ODI innings, Babar has managed only 945 runs at an average of 35.00 and a strike rate of 78.55, with a highest score of just 78. Despite these underwhelming numbers, surprisingly Babar still sits fourth in the ICC ODI batting rankings. His inability to deliver match-winning knocks in recent months has sparked debate among fans and critics alike about whether he still deserves to be called Pakistan’s premier batter. The Faisalabad crowd, eager to see their hometown hero rediscover his touch, was left disappointed as he fell cheaply once again. While Pakistan went on to clinch a two-wicket win in a tense finish, thanks to Naseem Shah’s final-over single, Babar’s failure overshadowed much of the post-match celebrations. South Africa, batting first, posted 263 courtesy of Quinton de Kock (63) and debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius (57). Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Abrar Ahmed (3-53) and Naseem Shah (3-40), did the job, but their captain’s batting continues to be a major concern. With two matches left in the series, pressure is mounting on Babar Azam. Unless he finds a way to end this alarming run, Pakistan’s supposed batting king might soon find his crown slipping.