Azan Awais showed remarkable patience against England’s fast bowlers before changing gears, but his resistance eventually ended when Ollie Robinson set a simple trap.
Azan Awais innings became a standout feature of Pakistan’s difficult day with the bat as the young batter spent much of his time absorbing pressure from England’s pace attack. After beginning cautiously, Awais gradually opened up and scored more freely before being dismissed after facing 102 balls.
Key Highlights
- Azan Awais initially struggled to score against England’s hostile pace attack, reaching eight runs from 44 balls.
- Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson repeatedly tested Pakistan’s batters with pace and short bowling.
- Babar Azam briefly looked comfortable before Josh Tongue dismissed him with a delivery outside off stump.
- Awais later attacked Atkinson and Archer with a series of boundaries as he adjusted his approach.
- Ollie Robinson dismissed Awais with a bouncer that was pulled towards deep square leg.
- Awais was the highest individual run-scorer for either team on the day, according to the supplied report.
Azan Awais innings starts with a defensive approach
Pakistan’s batting plans were disrupted early after Imam-ul-Haq did not come out to bat because of a calf problem. Shan Masood moved up the order but was unable to stay for long after facing Jofra Archer’s pace.
Abdullah Shafique also came under sustained pressure from Archer and Josh Tongue. After being tested by short-pitched bowling, he attempted to drive a wide delivery and was dismissed after failing to move his feet properly.
Awais was therefore left to face England’s attack during an especially difficult period. Gus Atkinson produced a vicious short delivery that rose sharply off the pitch and caused the batter significant difficulty. UltraEdge was required to determine whether Awais had actually edged the ball.
How Azan Awais handled England’s fast bowlers
Awais responded to the pressure by focusing heavily on defence. Before lunch, he reached only eight runs from 44 deliveries and left a substantial number of balls outside his scoring areas.
The supplied ball-by-ball figures state that he attacked only two deliveries during that period. For a young batter still new to international cricket, his approach was based largely on surviving the difficult spell rather than forcing the scoring rate.
Awais had made his Test debut only three months earlier and had played all six of his Tests away from home. His first-class record included 11 centuries, while his strike rate in that format was below 45.
Babar Azam falls as Pakistan lose another batter
Babar Azam initially appeared more comfortable against England’s pace. He found the cover region with a fluent drive off his fourth delivery and repeated the shot in the following over.
His stay was nevertheless short. Tongue gradually worked Babar into an uncertain position before drawing him into a push around off stump. The dismissal left Awais with another responsibility at the crease.
Saud Shakeel was scoring at more than a run per ball at the other end, providing a contrast to Awais’s cautious beginning. Awais subsequently began to recognise that a balance between defence and controlled attacking play was required.
Awais changes gears against Atkinson and Archer
The young batter began to attack Atkinson more confidently. He produced a pair of cuts through the square region and followed them with a cover drive and another streaky boundary through gully.
He then produced one of his best shots against Archer just before a rain interruption, leaning into a drive that travelled beyond the cover sweeper.
After his first boundary against Atkinson, Awais added 27 runs from 26 balls. His scoring rate had changed considerably from the highly defensive approach he had used earlier in the innings.
England continued to challenge him despite the change. Another Archer delivery rose sharply and again created uncertainty over whether Awais had edged the ball.
Archer spell earns praise from Sarfaraz Ahmed
Awais became increasingly positive after the interval. His leave percentage dropped below 7% after lunch, according to the supplied report, while he remained the only batter from either side to score more individual runs than anyone else that day.
Archer’s spell against Awais also drew praise from Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed. He highlighted the difficulty of the spell and credited Awais for the manner in which he dealt with the pressure created by the England fast bowler.
“The spell Archer bowled to Awais this morning was sensational,” Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said.
Sarfaraz also praised the way the young batter handled the challenge and said the experience would be valuable for his career.
Ollie Robinson sets the trap for Awais
Awais’s resistance finally ended soon after play resumed. Ollie Robinson had been conceding less than a run an over when he delivered a surprise medium-paced bouncer with the wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps.
With deep square leg positioned on the leg side, Awais attempted the pull. It was the 102nd ball he had faced and the first delivery he had pulled during the innings.
The shot went into the air towards deep square leg, where Emilio Gay completed the catch. The dismissal ended an innings that had developed from prolonged defence into a more attacking effort.
Pakistan batting concerns remain
Awais’s innings stood apart from the performances around him as several Pakistan batters spent relatively little time at the crease. His ability to remain at the crease through England’s most testing spells provided a sharp contrast to the rapid departures elsewhere in the innings.
The supplied report also raises concerns about the development of Pakistan’s Test batting group, pointing to the contrasting recent fortunes of players including Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha.
For Awais, the innings offered a demanding examination against England’s pace attack. He absorbed sustained pressure from Archer, Tongue and Atkinson, gradually added attacking shots and remained at the crease longer than any other Pakistan batter before Robinson’s bouncer brought his innings to an end.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Azan Awais perform against England’s fast bowlers?
Awais showed patience against England’s pace attack, initially scoring eight runs from 44 balls before becoming more aggressive and finding several boundaries.
How many balls did Azan Awais face?
Awais was dismissed after facing 102 balls, according to the supplied match report.
How was Azan Awais dismissed?
Ollie Robinson bowled a medium-paced bouncer that Awais pulled towards deep square leg, where Emilio Gay completed the catch.
What did Sarfaraz Ahmed say about Azan Awais?
Sarfaraz Ahmed praised Awais for handling Jofra Archer’s difficult spell and said the experience would be valuable for his career.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Editor at The Nation Bulletin. With over 3 years of experience in digital journalism and news reporting, he covers national affairs, governance, and breaking current events with a commitment to factual accuracy and verified reporting.
