Hilarious scenes unfolded during a DRS review involving Babar Azam in the first T20I between Pakistan and Australia in Lahore. A momentary lapse by TV umpire Nasser Hussain resulted in the on-air call going wrong, causing a split among the commentators and quickly attracting the attention of fans watching the match.
Pakistan defeated Australia by 22 runs in the first T20 match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday, January 29. The Salman Ali Aga-led side took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. While the hosts won, Babar had a disappointing performance with the bat and could only score 24 runs in 20 balls.
Confusion over DRS after Zampa traps Babar Azam in first T20I
While attempting a reverse sweep in the 14th over, Adam Zampa hit the ball on the pads of Babar Azam. With on-field umpire Ahsan Raza disagreeing, Australia sent the decision up.
Ball-tracking showed that the ball pitched outside the off stump, hit the line and went onto the stumps. However, third umpire Nasser Hussain erroneously ruled that the ball was pitched outside leg, possibly due to confusion caused by Babar’s stance.
The situation became even more awkward when officials were reminded that Babar was a right-handed player, leading to further investigation. By then, Babar had begun to walk away, surprised by the delays and uncertainty during the review.
Just listen to the third umpire of Pakistan
Australia team should be like this – who made Gavro the umpire?
pic.twitter.com/uS3CqfpBeR– Space Recorder (@1spacerecorder) 30 January 2026
Mixed signals from the third umpire confused the officials
Third umpire Nasir Hussain was corrected by another official and asked to show the ball-tracking again. Even after reviewing for the second time, he made another mistake by asking the on-field umpire to stick to the original not-out decision.
Moments later, Hussain realized the mistake and changed his call, but the mixed messages confused on-field umpire Ahsan Raza. He gave several hints before finally settling on the right decision.
The long delays and repeated errors surprised commentators and players alike. A simple LBW call turned into a viral moment, with fans sharing the clip widely and reacting to the chaotic review sequence on social media.
Babar Azam’s T20 form is under question before the 2026 World Cup.
Babar Azam’s T20 form continues to draw attention, raising questions about his place in Pakistan’s plans for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Fans and former players have discussed his recent struggles in the shortest format.
In the match against Australia, Babar failed with the bat, but he made a strong contribution in fielding. He took three quick catches during the chase, which helped Pakistan put pressure on the visitors.
After this, Pakistan’s bowlers did the rest and defended the target well and won by 22 runs. Although some attention was diverted from the result, Babar’s batting form remained under scrutiny.
In the Big Bash League 2025–26, he scored 202 runs in 11 matches at an average of 22 and a strike rate of 103, which included only two half-centuries. With the demand for quick scoring in modern T20 cricket, many now wonder whether Babar can adjust his approach in time to answer his critics.
Also read: Salman Ali Aga bury Babar Azam: ‘I will bat at No. 3 because I can dominate’
