it was a night to forget Pakistan’superstar batsman Babar AzamWho faced a double dose of misfortune during the first T20I against South Africa in Rawalpindi.
First there was a rare fielding lapse, a dropped catch that yielded four runs, and later, a nightmare comeback with the bat as he was out for a duck off two balls. Babar, once the backbone of Pakistan’s batting lineup, found himself under intense scrutiny on social media as fans and analysts took note of his recent struggles. During this time this incident came to light Shaheen Afridiwhen did it end George Linde Tossed one towards long-on. Babar, positioned just below the ball, misjudged the trajectory and dropped what looked like a regulation catch, with the ball crossing the boundary line. The crowd in Rawalpindi became quiet for a moment before reactions flooded social media.
Duck increases pressure on Babar on return in T20I
If the dropped catch stung, what happened next was even more tragic. Babar encountered while walking on number 3 Corbin BoschA fast ball which seamed slightly and caught the outer half of his bat and went straight to Reeza Hendricks at cover. The Pakistan captain was out for a duck, his comeback in T20Is ended before it could really begin.
Fans immediately reignited the endless Kohli vs Babar debate, arguing that the comparison was unfair given Kohli’s remarkable ability to bounce back from bad spells. Chasing 195 runs, Pakistan’s team soon collapsed and its target was in trouble due to the wicket of Babar. head coach mike hessonEarlier comments about Babar needing to improve his strike rate and gameplay against spin resurfaced online, leading to increased criticism. Despite the setbacks, the 30-year-old is determined to turn things around, with his next chance coming in the second T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 31. The match may have slipped away, but the big battle for Babar now lies in silencing the noise, regaining confidence and proving once again why he is still Pakistan’s finest modern batsman.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Rizwan’s PSL was better than Babar, he averaged better than Babar, he had better six hitting ability than Babar, he had more T20I MOTMs than Babar, was the best wicketkeeper batsman in Pakistan but guess who will return to the team.
– Adeel (@AdeelGhani9) 28 October 2025
Babar Azam is a once in a generation player who performs well
– Moiz Khan (@moizgetalife) 28 October 2025
Why do Pakistan’s elite players look so unfit?
Looks like both Babar and Naseem have gained a lot of weight.
You can’t expect the highest level of performance with this kind of fitness.#PAKvSA pic.twitter.com/XZ32DDI96c– Razi (@Crick_logist) 28 October 2025
Babar Azam#PAKvSA pic.twitter.com/gnFneXX3MC
– Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) 28 October 2025
Babar Azam cannot even bat against the South African C team. The credit goes to Aaqib Javed for exposing him in every format.
Unreal fall…!#PAKvSA– Crick Mate (@Cricknight07) 28 October 2025
What does Babar Azam need to do to get back to his run-scoring ways?
– I think he is mentally blocked now because he is going through so much pressure
She needs someone who can bring her mindset back to a calm state
– Actually only Babar can tell what is happening to him #PAKvSA pic.twitter.com/uROPxiaBcL
– Kashif Farid (@kash8778) 29 October 2025
Babar Azam walked in like a kingβ¦ and went out like a ghost. 0 π» #PAKvsSA pic.twitter.com/9Jym3pBr6B
– Rafa (@rafadayal) 28 October 2025
Duck on Babar Azam’s return to T20!#PAKvsSA pic.twitter.com/uMq8oaH0Of
– πΊπππππ (@Shebas_10dulkar) 28 October 2025
Believe me, Paizan Babar is a superstar. He can draw better crowd than Kohli#PakistanCricket #PAKvsSA pic.twitter.com/BXJdfN8ceZ
β Pooja_Verma (@Sanskaari_girl) 28 October 2025
@DrNaumanNiaz One has to admit that there is a certain elegance and class in the way Babar gets out on zero. This quality was never seen in any other Pakistani batsman.
– WaheedKhanccSafasidhibaat (@WaheedKhancc) 28 October 2025
A
