Babar Azam’s 196 and Mohammad Rizwan’s 104* helped Pakistan prevent Australia from registering a memorable win in the second and penultimate Test at the National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16). Babar’s century had setup 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.
Such was Babar’s innings that his knock was studded with 21 fours and a six, playing as many as 425 deliveries. Thus, he became the first Pakistani batter to play 400-plus deliveries in the fourth innings along with achieving another huge feat. Courtesy his 196, Babar now has the highest score by by 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).
