#PakvsAus, 2nd Test: Babar’s majestic 196-run knock leads Pakistan to a memorable draw

Babar’s majestic 196-run knock has led Pakistan to a memorable draw in the second test against Australia on Wednesday.

The Pakistan skipper added an invaluable 228 runs for the third wicket with Abdullah Shafique (96) and another 115 for the fifth with Rizwan, keeping Australia’s spin-cum-pace attack at bay.

Azam’s score become the best-ever fourth innings by a captain, surpassing Mike Atherton’s 185 for England against South Africa in 1995.

Babar Azam’s score is also the highest fourth-innings individual total by a Pakistani, erasing the 171 not-out Younis Khan made against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2015.

The second Test at Karachi’s National Stadium has also resulted in a draw, making the 3 test series equal by 0-0.

While Pakistan has registered a record of playing the most overs by any team to draw a five-day Test match.

In the fourth innings to draw this game, Pakistan played 1030 balls, with Babar (196), Abdullah Shafique (96), and Mohammad Rizwan’s (104) brilliant knocks.

With the recent feat, Pakistan is the first team in five-day cricket and the only second team in overall Test matches to play 1000+ balls in the fourth innings to save a Test match.

However, Pakistan fell 63 short of the 506-run target. 

The record for the highest chase in all Test cricket still remains with the West Indies.

West Indies had scored 418 against Australia at Antigua in 2003.

Pakistan vs Australia Second Test Scoreboard:

Australia 1st innings 556-9 dec (Usman Khawaja 160, A. Carey 93, S. Smith 72; Faheem Ashraf 2-55, Sajid Khan 2-167)

Pakistan 1st innings 148 (Babar Azam 36; M. Starc 3-29)

Australia 2nd innings 97-2 dec (Usman Khawaja 44)

Pakistan 2nd innings (overnight 192-2)

Abdullah Shafique c Smith b Cummins    96

Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Lyon                  1

Azhar Ali lbw b Green                   6

Babar Azam c Labuschagne b Lyon       196               

Fawad Alam c Carey b Cummins            9

Mohammad Rizwan not out               104

Faheem Ashraf c Smith b Lyon            0

Sajid Khan c Smith b Lyon               9

Nauman Ali not out                      0

Extras: (b8, lb2, nb5, w7)             22             

Total (for seven wkts; 171.4 overs)   443        

To bat: Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Haq), 2-21 (Azhar), 3-249 (Shafique), 4-277 (Alam), 5-392 (Azam), 6-392 (Ashraf), 7-414 (Sajid)

Bowling: Starc 21-6-58-0 (nb1, w1), Cummins 26-6-75-2 (nb1), Swepson 53.4-8-156-0 (w4), Lyon 55-20-112-4, Green 15-4-32-1 (nb3, w2), Labuschagne 1-1-0-0