Pakistan opening batsman Azan Awais departed without scoring during the first Test against England at Headingley, dismissed by Ollie Robinson’s very first delivery of the match. Robinson’s wobble-seam delivery moved sharply toward the left-handed batter and struck him in front of off stump. Despite Pakistan’s review challenge, replays confirmed the decision was correct, with ball-tracking showing the ball would have struck the top of middle stump.
This dismissal represents a rare occurrence in Pakistan cricket history. Awais became only the second Pakistani opener to be dismissed off the opening ball of a Test, matching an unwanted record last set 43 years earlier when Mohsin Khan fell to the first delivery against India in 1983. For Robinson, the achievement places him among an elite group of English bowlers—he became just the fourth to accomplish this feat in a Test played on home soil, following Maurice Tate in 1926, Geoff Arnold in 1974, and Ryan Sidebottom in 2007.
Robinson’s breakthrough proved to be merely the beginning of England’s strong start. The experienced seamer continued his dominant performance throughout the morning session, claiming four wickets from Pakistan’s top five batters. By tea time, Pakistan had collapsed to 150 for seven wickets, with Robinson finishing the extended three-hour session with impressive figures of 4-39 from 16 overs, helping England establish control early in the three-match series.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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