Babar Azam set a new record of highest individual score by a skipper in the fourth innings of a Test match after making 196 in 603 minutes off 425 balls with 21 fours and a six in Pakistan’s second innings on the fifth day of the second Test match against Australia at National Stadium, Karachi on Wednesday (March 16).
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Set a massive target of 506 runs by Australia, Pakistan reached 443/7 with Mohammad Rizwan hitting a four off the fourth ball in the final over (172). Vice-captain Rizwan remained unbeaten on 104 off 177 balls.
After the match, Babar Azam hailed his deputy and said that the plan for Pakistan "was to bat session-by-session and build partnerships... Mohammad Rizwan was outstanding as he saved the Test for us."
England’s Mike Atherton who scored an unbeaten 185 in 643 minutes off 492 balls with 29 fours against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1995-96 held the previous record.
Younis Khan who scored an unbeaten 107 in 211 minutes off 182 balls with 14 fours against India at Kolkata in November 2007 held the previous record for Pakistan.
** Babar Azam’s 196 in 603 minutes off 425 balls with 21 fours and a six, is also his highest score in Tests. The right-handed batter’s previous highest score was 143 off 193 balls with 18 fours and a six against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi in February 2020.
** Requiring a record 506 runs or surviving 172 overs, a gutsy Pakistan reached 443 for seven in 171.4 overs. It was Pakistan’s highest fourth innings total to draw the match. Pakistan made 450 in 145 overs to lose the match against Australia at Brisbane in 2016-17.
** Pakistan fell short of a record run chase by 63 runs, but in getting through they achieved the fifth-most overs batted in the fourth innings. England who played 218.2 eight ball overs against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1938-39, holds the record of playing the highest number of balls in the fourth innings of a Test match.
** The Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam’s 228-run stand for the third wicket was the highest ever stand for any wicket in the fourth innings of a Test match at Karachi. They erased the previous best of 153 runs between Ijaz Ahmed and Moin Khan against Australia for the fifth wicket in 1998-99.
HIGHEST SCORES BY SKIPPERS IN FOURTH INNINGS
(Score - Batter - Opponent - Venue - Season)
196 - Babar Azam (Pakistan) - Australia - Karachi - 2021-22;
185* - Mike Atherton (England) - South Africa - Johannesburg - 1995-96;
176 - Bevan Congdon (New Zealand) - England - Nottingham - 1973;
173* - Don Bradman (Australia) - England - Leeds - 1948;
156 - Ricky Ponting (Australia) - England - Manchester - 2005.
PAKISTAN’S HIGHEST FOURTH INNINGS TOTALS
(Score - Overs - Opponent - Venue - Season - Result)
450 - 145 - Australia - Brisbane - 2016-17 - Lost;
443/7 - 171.4 - Australia - Karachi - 2021-22 - Draw;
382/3 - 103.1 - Sri Lanka - Pallekele - 2015 - Won;
343/3 - 117 - South Africa - Dubai - 2010-11 - Draw;
341/9 - 129 - West Indies - Port of Spain - 1987-88 - Draw.
