Pakistan pull off extraordinary draw in Karachi despite late Lyon wickets

Karachi: Pakistan have pulled off perhaps the most extraordinary draw in Test history by surviving a record 171.4 overs in their second innings thanks to a magnificent 196 from captain Babar Azam and an unbeaten, match-saving century from Mohammad Rizwan on one of Australian’s most disheartening days in Test cricket.

The Benaud-Qadir trophy is still up for grabs, with the series locked at 0-0, but Australia will travel to Lahore on Thursday lamenting a nightmare day of dropped catches, close umpiring decisions that didn’t go their way and incredible batting.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s extraordinary knock saved the Test for his country.Credit: AP

Pakistan fans erupted with joy in the stands as their team ended their marathon second innings at 7-443, just 63 runs shy of a mammoth target of 506 set by the Australians.

Young boys and girls in uniforms were given a day off from school to sit in the stands at the National Stadium to witness a Test that few could have predicted two days ago would become an all-time classic after Australia’s first innings total of 9d-556.

None of them were born when Mike Atherton’s England side of 1995 survived 165 overs to save a Test.

Just as a famous draw looked inevitable, with Australia needing six wickets from 12.3 overs, Nathan Lyon (4-112) roared to life.

Australia’s veteran off-spinner silenced the locals by having Babar at caught bat pad for a stunning 196 off 425 balls in 603 minutes, before removing Faheem Ashraf next ball for golden duck to send shockwaves through the Pakistan dressing room.

When Sajid Khan (9) was caught at slip, Pakistan were 7-414 and needed to maintain their composure for eight nail-biting overs as the shadows lengthened at a venue the hosts have lost just two Tests at.

Australia spoke beforehand about the importance of taking their chances and, with 19 balls to go, that moment came.

Debutant Mitch Swepson, without a wicket to his name and having conceded 152 runs, tossed up one of his leg-spinners to Rizwan, who chipped a simple catch to Usman Khawaja at short cover.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan scored a century to help his side to a draw in the second Test against Australia.Credit: AP

The opener, who was wearing a helmet, spilled the chance.

From there, Rizwan brought up his hundred in the penultimate over of day five before the wicketkeeper navigated Swepson’s final four balls before stumps were pulled.

In 1995, England were set 479 runs to win a Test against South Africa in Johannesburg. Their other alternative was to survive 165 overs.

Thanks to Atherton, England pulled off the unthinkable, with the captain crawling to an unbeaten 185 from 492 balls after nearly 11 hours at the crease.

This match had greater theatre because all four results - an Australia win, Pakistan victory, draw and the tie - were all live options going into the 15th and final session.

Last week’s bore draw in Rawalpindi was a poor advertisement for Test cricket in Pakistan, but although the same result was achieved in Karachi, this was an absorbing fifth day of the highest calibre.

Australia had four opportunities before tea to take Pakistan’s fifth wicket but a combination of poor fielding and bad luck hurt the visitors badly.

A Lyon lbw appeal was given not out, but replays showed Babar would have been trudging back if the on-field decision was out.

Then in consecutive deliveries, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne dropped Babar on 161 off Swepson. Both were fielding in close and both were difficult chances.

Swepson, who was left completely flummoxed after another DRS decision didn’t go Australia’s way, finished with match figures of 2-188.

Either side of lunch, Cummins picked up the important wickets of Abdullah Shafique (96) and Fawad Alam (9), which energised his teammates on an auspicious pitch for batting. Pakistan lost 2-28 inside 10 overs.

That Pakistan were still in the match well into the final session, having given up a 408-run first innings lead on day three, is a testament to their resilience.

Babar’s crisp stroke play mesmerised the Karachi crowd who chanted his name and blasted vuvuzelas.

Even before the final day came to a thrilling climax, records were broken.

With Shafique and Babar well set, as Sir Donald Bradman and Arthur Morris’s world record fourth innings stand of 301 at Leeds in 1948 began to enter the conversation, Cummins entered the fray.

The 228-run stand was broken by Cummins, at a time when his team desperately needed something to show for their efforts across a warm first session. It left Pakistan at 3-249.

Australia were unable to remove Babar Azam until the final hour.Credit: AP

Smith’s two uncharacteristic dropped catches in this Test were partially made up for by the straightforward chance off Cummins that he watched right into his hands until the last millisecond.

Cummins’ wicket of Fawad for nine after lunch, caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey to his left, swung momentum Australia’s way but with Babar at the crease, nothing was being taken to chance.

There will be selection ramifications heading into the third Test in Lahore starting on Monday after the toll of a long fourth innings. Not often does Mitchell Starc (0-58) bowl more than 20 overs in a second innings, so selectors may be tempted to bring Josh Hazlewood or Scott Boland back into the XI.

Australia knew before they arrived in Pakistan their bowlers would face tougher days in the field than the Ashes.

They don’t come tougher than what they just endured.

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