KARACHI – Pakistani skipper Babar Azam displayed top skills as he scored 196 as Men in Green pull off an unbelievable draw in the second Test against Australia at National Stadium Karachi.
Shaheens hangs on for a draw in the second Test in the seaside metropolis, as Nathan Lyon runs through the home side’s batting line-up in a dramatic final hour of play.
Chasing a record 506 for an improbable win, Pakistan bat out the final day and Babar led by example as they finished on 443-7, the sixth-highest fourth innings total of all time.
Pakistani skipper Babar Azam remained a wall for the hosts as he faced 425 balls, forging an instrumental 228-run stand with Abdullah Shafique, who scored 96, while hitter Rizwan scored a crucial ton chasing a mammoth total on last day of the second game.
Class apart 👏🏼 #BoysReadyHain l #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/AatBowAYaH
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 16, 2022
Babar also named multiple records with his brilliant knock of 196. The right-handed batter missed on his maiden double hundred as he fell short to Nathan Lyon.
Resuming at an overnight score of 192/2, skipper along with Abdullah Shafique propelled the home side’s score in the run chase at a decent rate in the first session.
The duo scored 57 runs into their overnight third-wicket partnership before the Australian captain dismissed Abdullah for 96.
Heartbreak for Babar Azam!
Nathan Lyon snares the Pakistan skipper four runs short of his double century ☝
Watch #PAKvAUS live on https://t.co/CPDKNxoJ9v (in select regions) 📺#WTC23 | https://t.co/lcSa2P7Q3l pic.twitter.com/ALgx8Xz8II
— ICC (@ICC) March 16, 2022
After a valiant 228-runs partnership with Abdullah Shafique, Babar joined hands with Fawad Alam and made sure that the side do not lose any more wickets. Babar and Fawad then managed to put on a brief five-runs partnership before the lunch.
For the visitors, Lyon garnered praise as he took named three scalps, while Cummins bagged two. Cameron Green, on the other hand, took one wicket each.
Babar Azam has etched his name in history books as he slammed triple digits against in-form Aussies.
Babar achieved the feat of becoming the second Pakistan captain after former batting great Younis Khan to have ever scored a ton in the fourth inning of a Test match. Khan, a cricketer turned coach, created history back in 2007 against archrival India.
"𝙀𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮"
Only Pakistani batter to face 400+ deliveries in the 4th innings of a Test, @babarazam258 joins Michael Atherton, Herbert Sutcliffe, Sunil Gavaskar.#BoysReadyHain l #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/0L9yH7BdGZ— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 16, 2022
Meanwhile, Pakistani skipper’s partnership with Abdullah Shafique has also seen a record being broken. The current partnership of 171 runs is said to be the highest-ever partnership for any wicket against Kangaroos.
PAKvAUS, 2nd Test: Australia declare innings at 556/9 on Day 3
