On the fifth and final day of the second Test match against Australia in Karachi, Pakistan captain Babar Azam scored 196 runs off 425 deliveries, including 21 fours and one six. Pakistan achieved a second consecutive draw of the series with one match remaining thanks to Babar’s miraculous innings and Mohammad Rizwan’s century. At the end of the innings, wicketkeeper batsman Rizwan finished unbeaten on 104 runs from 177 balls.
Babar and Abdullah Shafique shared a stellar partnership of 228 runs off 520 deliveries on the dramatic final day. In the fourth innings of a Test, they recorded the second-highest partnership for Pakistan. Babar, the star of the day, recorded his highest Test score of 196. In the year 2020, his previous best was 143 against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi. In the fourth innings of a Test, Babar made the highest score by a captain. Michael Atherton, who had slammed 185* against South Africa in 1995, was the previous best.
On the final day, Babar kept the Australian bowlers on their toes as the Pakistani skipper showed no sign of letting go of his wicket easily. Despite his best efforts, he fell just four runs short of a spectacular double century. The final innings of a Test match also yielded Pakistan’s second-highest score: 443/7. It was Nathan Lyon who took four wickets for the visitors, giving them some hope in the camp, but Rizwan Khan made sure he stayed until the end to force a draw for his side.
