WATCH: Babar Azam undone by Jofra Archer's snorter in Lord's Test as ENG close in vs PAK

A short-pitched delivery from Jofra Archer, rib-high and directed straight at the stumps, ended Babar Azam's innings on the fourth day of the 2nd Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's. The ball was steep, quick and awkward, and Babar found himself in serious difficulty from the moment it left Archer's hand.

Earlier in the same innings, Archer had touched 146 km/h and left Babar in a tangle across several deliveries, building pressure before the decisive ball arrived. When it did, Babar attempted a pull but ended up flapping or fending at the delivery instead. The ball caught the edge, struck the helmet and popped up into the air. Jordan Cox, stationed at second slip, settled underneath it and completed the catch comfortably.

The video of the dismissal surfaced on social media, capturing the moment as the star Pakistani batter had to make the long walk back after quite a short stay at the crease.

Pakistan's position after the wicket

Pakistan were chasing a target of 389 in their second innings at the time of the dismissal. The loss of Babar, one of the side's most reliable batters across formats, made an already demanding task considerably harder for the touring side.

Ollie Robinson had also made his presence felt in the same innings. He removed Abdullah Shafique with a good-length delivery that angled in before seaming away late, beating the outside edge and crashing into the top of off stump. The two wickets left England firmly in control, needing seven or eight more to seal the match. Concerns over the fitness of opening batter Imam-ul-Haq added further pressure on Pakistan's batting resources.

Babar, the Lahore-born cricketer, made his Test debut on October 13, 2016, against West Indies. The right-handed batter has been central to his country's batting across all three formats in recent years. However, his dip in form has been a rising cause of concern among the fanatics of both Babar and Pakistan cricket.