Azan Awais Fears for Test Future After Headingley Struggles
The Pakistan opener managed just nine runs in two innings as England cruised to an innings victory.
Pakistan's first Test against England at Headingley ended in a heavy defeat, but the consequences extend beyond the scoreboard. The tourists were bowled out for 171 and then 135, losing by an innings and 103 runs after England posted 409. For a young player like Azan Awais, the match proved particularly damaging to his Test prospects.
Awais, one of the newer faces in the squad, lasted only one ball in the first innings, dismissed lbw by Ollie Robinson without scoring. In the second, he managed nine off 14 deliveries before Jofra Archer accounted for him. His series average of 4.50 from two innings offers little evidence of readiness for the highest level.
While young players are often given time to develop, the manner of Awais's dismissals at a venue where the seamers extracted movement raises genuine concerns. Earlier performances had suggested he belonged at this level, but this outing has undoubtedly set back his career. The team management now faces a difficult decision over whether to persist with him or look elsewhere.