Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan orchestrate hard-fought draw in Karachi

A record-breaking century by Babar Azam and Mohammd Rizwan's rearguard act late in the day helped Pakistan escape with a draw against Australia in the second Test in Karachi. Chasing a never chased 506 for a win, Pakistan gave a strong response, but in the end could only reach 443 for 7 when both teams decided to shake hands.

Even as Australia had thoroughly dominated the contest for four days, the hosts gave themselves a shot at the improbable target on the slow surface of the National Stadium, coming into the final day with 315 runs needed with eight wickets in hand.

The overnight batters - Babar and Abdullah Shafique began the proceedings of the final day slowly, adding 59 runs to the third wicket partnership before the latter fell late in the morning session to Pat Cummins, chasing a full delivery slightly wide of the offstump and edging to Steve Smith at first slip. Abdullah's 305-ball stay ended on 96 and the partnership was broken on 228 - handing Australia a wicket after more than 86 overs.

On a surface that never offered any aid to the bowlers, Australians continued to toil without much reward. However, barring odd periods when Mitchell Swepson bowled negative lines, hoping to cause trouble through the rough areas of the pitch, the visitors largely stuck to attacking the stumps.

Much like the morning session, Cummins got rewarded for his disciplined show post Lunch when Fawad Alam edged an angling in delivery just outside the offstump to the wicketkeeper. However, despite bagging the second wicket of the day, Australia couldn't assert themselves. Pakistan continued to remain dour and watchful through to Tea.

When the final session of play resumed, the equation had kept all possibilities open - 36 overs, 196 runs, 6 wickets. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were quick to put the pressure on the Australians, pouncing on scoring opportunities. In the first over after Tea, Rizwan hit Swepson for two boundaries through the midwicket region - a pull to a short-pitched delivery and a flick to a full toss. In the first two overs, Pakistan collected 20 overs and made their intent clear to go after the target.

However, Australia didn't fall back on the defensive in the cat-and-mouse chase. The fieldsets were attacking, so were the bowling lines. The fifth wicket partnership swelled to 115 runs but as it flourished, the pace of scoring slowed down. Australian bowlers didn't get too many opportunities and the pitch was slow and low for shot-making. Babar and Rizwan's partnership had brought the required runs to 114 with six wickets in hand, but in the given conditions, the required rate of nearly 10 an over was too steep.

Babar, who had registered the record of the longest time spent at the crease in fourth innings of a Test and most runs by a captain in the fourth innings, eventually fell on 196 - the 425th ball of his near 10-hour vigil. His dismissal twisted the momentum of the contest, which had already see-sawed between the possibility of a draw and an unlikely Pakistani win.

Lyon, after dismissing Babar, even had Faheem Ashraf and Sajid Khan edging to Steve Smith at slips. His four wickets, after bowling 55 overs, allowed Australia to push for a victory. But Rizwan who had settled in well by then, expertly manuvered through that challenge. Nauman Ali offered him support from the other end, defending 18 balls without scoring. Late in the day, Rizwan also brought up his second Test century and shut Australia's attempt at a victory.

Swepson was impressive on debut but he went wicketless in the second innings despite rolling his arms over for 53.4 overs. To put Pakistan's efforts in perspective, no batter other than Babar and Rizwan - who scored tons - and Abdullah Shafiq - who got 96 - got to double-figures.

Brief Scores: Australia 556/9 decl. (Usman Khawaja 160, Alex Carey 93; Faheem Ashraf 2-55, Sajid Khan 2-167) & 97/2 decl (Marnus Labuschagne 44, Usman Khawaja 44*) drew with Pakistan 148 (Babar Azam 36; Mitchell Starc 3-29, Mitchell Swepson 2-32) & 443/7 (Babar Azam 196, Mohammad Rizwan 104*, Abdullah Shafique 96; Nathan Lyon 4-112, Pat Cummins 2-75)