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If someone needs to learn the definition of a captain's knock, Babar Azam's unbeaten 102 is the perfect example of it. After a horrendous batting display on a Day 3 Karachi pitch, Pakistan skipper Babar ensured that he makes Australian captain regret his decision to declare the second innings early. While the target of 506 is still far from grasp, Babar's partnership with opener Abdullah Shafique may have sent shivers down Australian players' spine on Day 4.
Early declaration
In the first session, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne scored some quick runs and then Cummins decided to declare the innings with both batters unbeaten on 44 with scoreboard reading 97/2. While many questioned Cummins’ decision to not enforce follow on, he declared the innings to give his bowlers more than five sessions to take 10 wickets and take a lead in the three-Test series after a dull draw in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan lose early wickets again
Everything seemed on track for Cummins as opener Imam-ul-Haq and veteran Azhar Ali were dismissed for a single-digit score. Nathan Lyon trapped Imam in front of the wickets whereas lack of bounce surprised Azhar as he got out leg before wicket trying to duck a half-tracker.
Second chance
Australia almost got another wicket when the third-wicket partnership was still young. However, Steve Smith shockingly put down a sitter in the slip cordon to give Shafique a second life. Shafique made visitors for their mistake as the two batters stood strong and shared a threatening partnership on a relatively hot day in Karachi.
Partnership to remember
In Shafique, Babar got the support he desperately needed in the first innings as wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Babar played a chanceless innings and played some glorious shots whenever the opportunity presented itself. He got to his 20th Test fifty early in the third session. Shafique played second fiddle and soaked up the pressure by playing as many deliveries as he could. The 22-year-old got to his half-century from 153 deliveries. He did not change his approach with much time left in the Test match.
Captain believes
Babar did not overattack either and got to his century with some luck on his side. He top-edged one off Mitchell Swepson’s bowling but it landed safe. His sixth Test hundred has set the tone for Pakistan’s fightback after a sorry display of batting in the first innings. Pakistan need 314 more runs to create history and captain Babar believes that the match is still pretty much alive with scoreboard reading 192/2 after 82 overs.
“This knock means a lot to me, the team needed it. Fortunately I have managed to get a good partnership with Shafique. The match is not over yet, so we need to continue playing in the same way, and the other batters also need to step up. After the first innings, we practiced in the nets how to counter their reverse swing, just that we need to play slightly late,” the 27-year-old said after the day’s play.
