Babar Azam

Pakistan captain Babar Azam led a stunning final-day rear-guard against Australia as his 196 helped enable the hosts to bat out 172 overs and earn a ...

"We tried to be positive and play our shots. - 2nd longest innings in the fourth innings of a Test in terms of minutes batted - 4th longest innings in the fourth innings of a Test in terms of balls faced

They had batted on the best days for batting, they had seemingly unlocked the mysteries of reverse swing in foreign conditions, they had rested their bowlers ...

It was there when he scored his fifty on day four with hardly an acknowledgment, then later the same day when he played down his century with a calming hand motion. Khawaja has been superb all series, on and off the field. And he was not alone. But as he stared, disbelieving and despairing, at the ball on the ground the crowd that had been chanting his name in support throughout the Test were now chanting it in ironic gratitude. This would take far more than a good ol’ plucky attitude, though. But it was the drive behind the drive and every other dreamy shot that defined this innings and separated it from all the others he has played.

Azam's 196 against Australia puts him up there with some greats in the long form of the game.

“Such a match-saving innings gives you belief. Azam has a long-held ambition of becoming the best in the game. Congratulations to Babar Azam for leading the Pak team in a tremendous fightback with a superb captain's inning & world class batting display; & congratulations to the rest of the team too in the way they fought back, especially Rizwan & Shafique. Azam also became the highest individual scorer for Pakistan in the fourth innings of a Test, surpassing Younis Khan’s 171 not out against Sri Lanka in 2015. Pakistan captain Babar Azam has long established his credentials in limited-overs cricket, but his 196 against Australia has put him up there with some greats in the long form of the game too. The epic draw kept the three-match series – Australia’s first in Pakistan for 24 years – tied at 0-0 after the first Test also ended in a draw in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan salvaged a miraculous draw in the second Test against Australia to keep the historic series deadlocked after captain Babar Azam produced an ...

But Rizwan notched his ton and Pakistan hung on with one of the most miraculous escapes in Test history. Coming in at 2-21 just after lunch on day four, Babar appeared to be on a hiding to nothing as the match seemed to be heading for an early finish. Australia turned to their own colossus, Cummins, who finally broke through with Shafique and then got Fawad Alam after lunch as the momentum changed. Late on day three, Pakistan faced the daunting prospect of following on and their top-order to survive another onslaught from a pumped-up attack before stumps. Babar reached his sixth century before stumps on day four but celebrated only modestly knowing the business had not been completed by a long shot. On a new update, Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s masterpiece of 196 from 425 balls to somehow defy Australia might vault past both of them.

Australia have set Pakistan 506 to win; so many it's daft to even frame the contest in those terms. Australia have essentially given themselves two days to win ...

They were accused of being a touch defensive in the T20 World Cup semi-final; it is that very trait they will need to exhibit for much of the day now. There's a serenity to that first session, it feels like the eye of the storm. As Babar and Shafique bat on, the subject of the target begins to be broached. They should, in all honesty, but the visitors have suddenly forgotten to catch a ball. Babar bat-pads one to short leg four shy of 200, and before the applause has properly died down, Faheem Ashraf edges to Steven Smith at slip. Survival is all they can aspire to through the middle session, but post-tea, Australia begin to tire and the wickets aren't coming. He knows the answer is worthless, and yet there's comfort in trusting it. A man at the entrance asks with a wry smile, "So, what's going to happen today?" There's a madness to the belief that Pakistan can go at nearly four runs an over in the fourth innings for 90 overs. They would be put away in the backyard, in school or club cricket, so might as well put them away here. Babar and Shafique appear to recognise that, scoring just six runs in the first five overs. Australia have set Pakistan 506 to win; so many it's daft to even frame the contest in those terms.

News · Babar Azam scored 196 in the second Test between Pakistan and Australia · The Pakistan captain batted for over 10 hours across two days · The Pakistan ...

The kids would want to become Babar Azam seeing this innings. He is a world-class player and looked a class apart in the innings.” “It would have been great for the record, but it doesn’t really matter.