Pakistan vs Australia: Thrilling 2nd Test ends in a draw
Final day of the match commenced with Australia needing 8 wickets to take a lead of 1-0 but all they could manage was five wickets. In the first two sessions, Babar Azam added a 228-run partnership with Abdullah Shafique in 524 balls.
Image credit: PA Images Pakistan fought back to secure a draw against the oddsThis is a match that showcased the beauty of Test match cricket. Pakistan needed 480 runs and 170 overs to bat, when their skipper came to anchor the team. In a hope of a miraculous win, Babar Azam stood like a rock to play a much-needed gritty knock of 196 from 425 balls, and gave Australian bowlers a tough day to eventually end the match with a draw.
The thrilling last day of the match
And after the dismissal of Abdullah Shafique, till the final hour of the final session, it appeared as if the duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan would guide the hosts by themselves to the draw. Their 248-ball association kept Australian bowlers at bay. However, Nathan Lyon had different plans, as he succeeded in dismissing Babar Azam and Faheem Ashraf in two successive balls to give the match another nail-biting turn.
The Test sprung to life when Babar Azam got dismissed for 196 with just over 12 overs left. But calm innings from Mohammad Rizwan from the other end ensured the hard work done by his skipper doesn't go in vain. He completed his second Test hundred.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam (Player of the match): [Translated from Urdu] "The plan was always to try and survive the overs, and even towards the end there were no serious discussions about chasing it. Pay tribute to Shafique and Rizwan. We are looking forward to going one better in Lahore."
Test match at its best: Follow On could have made a difference
Both sides gave everything they had in an effort to make their team win. A draw as a result has not done justice to the match . Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were the heroes for Pakistan and their names were being chanted around the ground as the squads came out of the change rooms to commence the customary handshake.
Things could have been a lot different if only Australia captain Pat Cummins would have given a follow-on after the first innings. Had Australia enforced follow-on, they would have 22 more overs to bowl and could have put more pressure on the tail handers of Pakistan.
Australia will face Pakistan for the final test match of the series in Lahore on 21st March 2022. Until now both the Test matches have ended in a draw. Hopefully the third test could produce some result.