Pakistan salvaged a draw in the second Test match against Australia, in Karachi, something against which most people would have offered long odds when they were bowled out for just 148 in reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 556/9 declared.
Pakistan went into the Day 5 chasing the seemingly impossible. Set what seemed a purely hypothetical target of 506 to win, they were 192/2 at stumps on Day 4, with captain Babar Azam on 102 and Abdullah Shafique on 71.
The pair added 57 more to the overnight score when, within sight of his own century, Shafique was caught by Steven Smith off the bowling of the Australian captain Pat Cummins. He had faced 306 balls for his 96, and struck a six and six fours. Lunch was taken soon afterwards, with the score 254/3.
Pakistan added 23 after the resumption before Australia struck again. This time Cummins produced a peach to have Fawad Alam caught behind for nine. But Babar continued on his way, having passed the 150-mark by this time.
While Babar and Mohammad Rizwan were at the crease, the likelihood of even an improbable victory remained. The pair had added 115 for the fifth wicket, when the pendulum suddenly swung the other way.
That was when Babar, who had scored 196 including a six and 21 fours, was caught by Marnus Labuschagne at short leg off Nathan Lyon. Then, the very next ball, Lyon had Faheem Ashraf caught by Smith. When the same combination accounted for Sajid Khan for nine, Australia still had an outside chance of victory.
But Rizwan had time to complete his own century. In the company of Nauman Ali, he saw Pakistan through to the end without further loss..
Australia 556/9 decl. (Usman Khawaja 160; Faheem Ashraf 2-55) and 97/2 decl. (Usman Khawaja 44*; Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-21) drew with Pakistan 148 (Babar Azam 36; Mitchell Starc 3-29) and 443/7 (Babar Azam 196, Mohammad Rizwan 104*; Nathan Lyon 4-112). Player of the Match: Babar Azam.