Challenged to chase a formidable 506-run target, Pakistan recovered from early losses to disciplined Australian bowling to consolidate hosts’ position in the second cricket Test, with skipper Babar Azam leading the way with a classy century on the Karachi National Cricket Stadium ground.
In partnership with Abdullah Shafique, captain Babar advanced the score to 192/2 at the close of day four of the second Test match against Australia.
The hosts still need 314 more runs to win on the fifth and final day of the match, dominated by Australian batsmen including the top order Pakistan-born batsman Usman Khawaja.
Babar, unbeaten on 102, and Abdullah batting at 71 scored 171 in their third-wicket stand.
Happy with his Test hundred, Babar foresaw a huge effort ahead in his team’s attempt at overtaking the Australian mammoth total.
“The match hasn’t finished yet,” Babar said. “We need to continue batting like this and keep the belief (to create history), ” he remarked.
“Definitely, my hundred was needed by the team and my plan was to build a partnership, which Abdullah and I did, but we need to continue like this (on Wednesday).”
Earlier, Pakistan lost Imamul Haq and Azhar Ali in quick succession to create speculations of a quick crumbling of the host team.
The biggest score a team has chased in the Test history is 418-7 that the West Indies against the touring Aussies in Antigua in 2003.
Pakistan registered their highest run chase of 377 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2015.
In their first innings, the visiting Aussies amassed 556 for the loss of nine wickets before the declaration. Pakistan surprised their fans with a paltry 148-run response in their first innings. Australia declared their second innings at 97 for the loss of two wickets to increase the chances of a result in the longest and the oldest format of the game.
Babar is the only skipper to score centuries in all three formats of the game, the Test, One-Dayers and the T20.
