Babar Azam scripts history, achieves elite feat during marathon 196-run knock in 2nd Test vs Australia
Babar Azam achieves elite feat during 196-run knock vs Australia in 2nd Test
Babar Azam's 196 and Mohammad Rizwan's 104* helped Pakistan prevent Australia from registering amemorable winin the second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). Babar's century had set up the match at stumps on Day 4, with Pakistan 192-2 in pursuit of a mammoth 506-run target.
Babar carried on from where he had left, on the penultimate day, when he came out to bat on Day Five. The right-hander showed grit, character, class and patience to take his side to a hard-earned draw with an impressive and career-best 196-run knock. While he fell with in excess of 12 overs to go in the day's play, Md Rizwan rescued the hosts and denied Pat Cummins & Co. from taking a 1-0 lead.
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Such was Babar's innings that his knock was studded with 21 fours and a six, playing as many as 425deliveries. Thus, he became the first Pakistani batter to play 400-plus deliveries in the fourth innings along with achieving anotherhuge feat. Courtesy his 196, Babar now has the highest scoreby a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match. He surpassed England's Michael Artherton's 185, versus South Africa in 1995, to attain the historic record. Before him, Younis Khan held the record for the highest score by a Pakistan skipper in the final innings (107 versus India in 2007).
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After the epic Test between Pakistan and Australia, Babar said at the post-match presentation, "The plan was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships. It was a team effort, as others (Shafique and Rizwan) chipped in with useful contributions too. We took the onus and the main focus was to build partnerships right throughout the day. Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us eventually. We wanted to continue to bat in the same way (after the tea break) and we tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could."
Talking about the second Test, Australia opted to bat first and post 556-9 decl. riding on Marnus Labuschagne's 160. In reply, Pakistan fell flat for 148 all-out before the Aussies set a humongous 506-run target for the hosts. At stumps on Day 5, Pakistan survived with the scoreboard reading 443-7.