Yasir Shah rises to the occasion against Australia from the most modest of platforms
No-one with an average as low as Yasir Shah had scored a Test ton. But instead of looking at his bootlaces when he walked to the crease he starred Australia’s fearsome attack straight in the eye.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Yasir Shah wanted to jump like David Warner ... but the plane would not leave the tarmac.
The Adelaide Oval has seen two of the most extraordinary centuries in Test cricket over the last two days and the debate is on which was the more remarkable feat - David Warner’s 335 not out or Yasir Shah’s stirring 113.
One solitary number is all you need to explain the merit of both innings - with Warner it’s the number he finished on, with Pakistani leg-spinner Shah it’s 12, his Test average at the start of his innings.
Stream the Australia v Pakistan Test Series Live & Ad-Break Free During Play with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
In the history of cricket no-one with a lesser average had scored a century. And even if they had they would not been subjected to such brutality at the bowling crease as Yasir who took 4-205 against Australia in Brisbane then 0-197 against them here.
Yasir had plenty of reason to be looking at his bootlaces when he walked to the crease. Instead he looked Australia in the eye and stared them down reaching three figures with a comical scoop just out of the reach of Pat Cummins at mid-on.
Unlike Warner, Shah has no well-rehearsed celebration routine so he pretty much tried the full buffet - whirling his bat like a windmill, kissing the ground and trying to jump for joy but finding his weary legs propelled him barely high enough to clear and ant’s nest.
It was one of the most unexpected Test centuries ever seen on Australian soil and it was all the more special for that.
Some players would be beaten men yet you cannot destroy Yasir Shah.
Former coach Mickey Arthur used to cherish the fact that on the darkest moment of the bleakest day, Shah would come up smile when he had every reason not to.
Perhaps it has to do with where he came from and what he had to do to get a game of cricket.
He hails from Pakistan’s wild north western frontier in the Khyber Pass region where he had to find cricket rather than the other way around.
“I come from a village in Swabi and there was very little or no cricket facilities so we would just play on grass and I would have to travel 100km to Peshawar for a game of organised cricket,’’ he once told me.
“I had to wait a long time for my chance but it allowed me to develop my game.’’
Yasir’s innings was laced with good fortune.
On 26 and 33, edges off Nathan Lyon’s bowling fell just short of Steve Smith at slip and on 35 he survived a stumping chance when Australian captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine failed to grasp a Lyon turner.
On 44, Marnus Labuschagne spilled a simple caught and bowled chance and on 66, Matthew Wade missed a run out opportunity when Shah was metres out of his crease.
But on he went to his moment of glory. At 33 he became Pakistan’s oldest debut Test century maker.
‘Hazlegod’: $2.3 million Aussie paceman produces IPL masterclass
Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood starred with 4-33 in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 11-run IPL win at home against Rajasthan Royals, stunning with his bowling at the death.
The Anzac hero who became a Lord’s legend
This is the story of Graham Williams, the South Australian fast bowler who survived World War II then brought the Lord’s crowd to their feet — and Aussie great Keith Miller to tears.