Test of nerves

Australia's first cricket tour of Pakistan in almost 24 hours was in danger of getting overshadowed by the political upheavals in the country, especially after the first Test played on a dead Pindi wicket ended in a boring draw last week. But just when cricket seemed destined to play second fiddle to politics, three men joined hands to put the spotlight back on the series. For almost an entire day on Wednesday, the nation's focus shifted from the power corridors of Islamabad to the iconic National Stadium in Karachi where Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s epic 196 thwarted Australia, who had seemed set to win the second of the three-Test series after taking a mammoth first innings lead. The history-making Babar received ample support from his deputy Mohammad Rizwan and rookie opener Abdullah Shafiq – as Pakistan managed to draw the Karachi Test against all odds. They survived 171.4 overs on a tricky National Stadium pitch and against a potent Australian bowling attack. The only time in Test history a team has lasted for more overs to save a match was in the Timeless Test of 1939.

When Australia declared their innings for the second time in the Test and set Pakistan a victory target of 506, not many thought Pakistan stood much chance of saving the match. Winning seemed almost impossible. But Babar first built the innings with the help of a defiant 96 from Shafique and then put the Aussies almost on the backfoot with a stunning partnership with Rizwan, who made sure that the match was saved after Babar, with an unbeaten century. Babar and his Pakistan team broke several records on their way to what will go down in history as one of the most memorable drawn Tests. Babar's 196 is the highest fourth innings score by a captain in Test history. He batted for 603 minutes, making his epic innings the second-longest knock in the fourth innings of a Test. He also became the highest individual scorer for Pakistan in the fourth innings of a Test, surpassing Younis Khan’s unbeaten 171 against Sri Lanka in 2015. The list goes on. His career-defining knock has once again underlined the fact that Babar is currently one of the best batters in all formats of the game.

With both teams moving to Lahore for the final Test, the momentum is now with Babar and the home team. The series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship, is levelled at 0-0. The Aussies will come at them with all their might to win the series. Pakistan will need to counter them with the sort of never-say-die approach they have showed in Karachi. They have the batting prowess and the bowling firepower to conquer the Australians. After a famous draw, a victory in Lahore would be a perfect icing on the cake for Pakistan.