Star Pakistan batter Babar Azam reacted to Kamran Ghulam’s maiden ton on his debut in the second PAK v ENG Test on Tuesday.
The right-handed batter was given the Test cap for the second Test as a replacement for Babar Azam.
Ghulam became the 13th player from Pakistan to cross the three-figure on debut on Day 1 of the second Test against England. He was dismissed after a well-made 118 off 224 deliveries, five overs before the end of play.
Reacting to his inning, the former Pakistan skipper took to Instagram Stories to wish Kamran Ghulam on the maiden ton.
Posting a collage of the debutant’s celebration, Babar Azam wrote in the caption, “Well played Kamran.”
It is to be noted that Ghulam garnered praise from fans and the cricket fraternity after rescuing Pakistan from a precarious stage when they were two wickets down on just 19.
Ghulam then built a third-wicket stand of 149 runs with opening batter Saim Ayub who perished after scoring a career-best 77.
Meanwhile, the right-handed batter continued his inning and slammed his century off 192 balls with the help of 9 fours and a six.
Pakistan will begin Day 2 on 259-5 as wicketkeeping batter Mohammad Rizwan (37*) and Salman Aghan (5*) will take forward the hosts’ first inning in the second PAK v ENG Test.
England is leading the three-match series 1-0 after defeating Pakistan by an inning and 47 runs in Multan a week earlier.
The defeat prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selectors to make wholesale changes, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed dropped.
The hosts brought in Kamran Ghulam and the spin trio of Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood and Noman Ali, along with the fast-bowling all-rounder Aamer Jamal to the Playing XI for the second Test.
For England, Ben Stokes returned to the Playing XI, replacing Chris Woakes, while fast bowler Potts came in for Gus Atkinson.
