PAK vs ENG: Babar Azam replacement Kamran Ghulam defies odds on Test debut

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Kamran Ghulam hogged the limelight as he braved the challenges and slammed an impressive century on his Test debut in the second match against England at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The 29-year-old who stepped into the big shoes of Babar Azam, etched his name into the record books as he became only the second-ever Pakistani batter to smash a century while making his debut at No.4 in Tests, which was a debut to remember.

Kamran who came out to bat on the first day's play showed that he was more than ready to take on the responsibility. Recently, Pakistan's decision to drop Babar Azam from the Test squad was not taken lightly as it became a major talking point in the cricket fraternity.

Babar Azam, who is one of the finest batters in modern cricket, struggled to go about his work in red-ball cricket. It had been a challenging phase for the star batter as he failed to bring up a fifty-plus score in his last 17 innings since 2023. Since he was enduring a rough patch, the selectors made a bold move by dropping him for the remaining two Tests against England.

This decision paved the way for a new face Kamran Ghulam. There was immense pressure on the all-rounder when he walked out to bat at Babar Azam's position but instead of letting the weight of expectations affect him, he embraced the challenge by showcasing calmness, composure and maturity against the English bowlers. His patience reaped rewards as he scored his maiden Test century.

Kamran pitched in with a magnificent 118 including 11 fours and a six, much to the delight of the crowd. However, his innings came to an end when he was bowled by Shoaib Bashir. Thanks to Kamran’s century, the hosts ended Day 1 at 259/5. Saim Ayub guided the hosts with his opening brilliance by scoring 77 runs, laced with 7 fours.

As the day drew to a close, Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman remained unbeaten with scores of 37 and 5 respectively. Pakistan will aim to capitalize on their positive start when play resumes on the subsequent day.

All you need to know about Kamran Ghulam

Kamran Ghulam made his debut at just 17 years old in 2013 where he represented Abbottabad Falcons in the Faysal Bank One Day Cup. He quickly rose through the ranks by making his first-class debut the same year. By 2014, he played for Pakistan in the U19 Cricket World Cup finals.

Known for his prolific batting, Kamran became the first-ever batsman to score over 1000 runs in a single Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season. He has also lifted the Pakistan Super League (PSL) trophy three times - in 2016, 2022, and 2023 (first with Islamabad United and then back-to-back titles with Lahore Qalandars). Kamran made his international debut for Pakistan in 2023, playing a match against New Zealand.