"Pakistani Bradman"- Twitterati heaps praise on Babar Azam for helping Pakistan draw the Karachi Test against Australia
Relying on exceptional batting displays by Babar Azam (196), Mohammad Rizwan (104*), and Abdullah Shafique (96), Pakistan managed to draw the second Test against Australia in Karachi on Wednesday,
Having scored 556/9 in the first innings, the visitors were clearly the favorites to win after skittling out the hosts for 148 in their first innings. The Pat Cummins-led Australian side then declared their second innings at 97-2 early on the fourth day. They set a mammoth target of 506 runs for Pakistan.
Babar Azam took on the initiative and shepherded his troops from the front under pressure in the second innings. A much-improved performance from the batting unit meant Pakistan batted out 171.4 overs over the last two days without getting all-out to draw the contest. The hosts managed to reach 443/7 before the players decided to shake hands.
Pakistan cricket fans were elated after witnessing the batting exhibition by Babar Azam and Co. in the fourth innings. They took to Twitter to heap praise on the team for the same.
Here are some of the best reactions:
Without question I think @babarazam258 is the best all round Batter in the World right now .. Brilliant across all the formats .. #PAKvAUS ..
馃徏 #PAKvAUS
Some innings give victories,
but some build character. And the latter are always helpful in the long run. Character building innings and match from @babarazam258 and co. Well done to @patcummins30 and his men too, almost pulled off something special. 馃憦馃徏 #PAKvAUS https://t.co/nF712KNFnd
There are cricketers who play and then there are cricketers who fight. Rizwan belongs the latter category. What a player. #PakvAus
Test cricket was where Babar Azam needed to take a step up and here it is. 480 to get and 170 overs to bat when he walked in. Hope of a miraculous win might have flickered but even a draw is a great result. What a player.
What a monumental effort! Especially by my two favorite Cricketers Kaptaan @babarazam258 and @iMRizwanPak ! @imabd28 also deserves all the appreciation as we managed to save the nail-biting final day. Amazing support as usual from the crowd. 馃憦
#PAKvAUS https://t.co/RlUU6Pz1sg
607 minutes of elegant technique, excellent defence and a pure class, take a bow king.
What a knock by babar azam馃憖
That's test cricket for you.
#PAKvAUS
#BabarAzam饟兊 https://t.co/Vq33gWrFQo
When it comes to mental toughness, there aren't many modern-day cricketers better than Mohammad Rizwan #PAKvsAUS #Cricket https://t.co/YIjjHwjpYs
RIZWAN FIGHTER 馃敟馃挅馃嚨馃嚢
#PAKvsAUS #Pakistan https://t.co/yn60JkTcq6
Drawing this match was no less than winning it. Congratulations Team Pakistan 馃嚨馃嚢 Full marks to Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan for upholding the beauty of Test cricket 馃弿
#PAKvAUS #PAKvsAUS #AUSvPAK
"Never ever try to doubt the intent of Babar again in whole life"..
i repeat NEVER
#BabarAzam #PAKvsAUS #PakistanZindabad https://t.co/tQXvDXoGBP
Pakistani Bradman - Concentration - Technique - Skill - Passion - King #BabarAzam #PakistanCricket https://t.co/2KrmNeeDjA
Babar Azam, king of the andals, protector of the realm, lord of the seven kingdoms, love of my life.
Well played captain! Take a bow! 鈾ワ笍
It's King Babar Azam's world;
we're just living in it. 馃憫
#Cricket
#BabarAzam饟兊
Heroes. Legends.
#PAKvAUS https://t.co/qBvc5lU00S
Stay calm like @babarazam258. Stay focused like @imabd28. Fight like @iMRizwanPak. Believe like our fans and ROAR like Pakistan. Unbelievable comeback. So proud of this team. Lets get the job done in Lahore now boys. #PAKvAUS #PakistanZindabad https://t.co/XnLWJukw5V
"I thought to play for as long as I could as the team needed it from me" - Babar Azam
The Pakistan captain revealed he intended to stay at the crease for as long as possible since it was the need of the hour. The 27-year-old also commended the team's fighting spirit in the fourth innings. For his exceptional knock, Babar Azam deservingly received the Player of the Match award.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Azam shed some light on the team's strategy in the fourth innings and said:
"The plan was simple that we have to bat throughout, session by session. We wanted to build partnerships and continue it. I thought to play for as long as I could as the team needed it from me. The team showed effort and it was great. We had the belief and we stuck to that. We had complete focus that we will play how many ever sessions we have to."
Babar Azam reserved special praise for Mohammad Rizwan, who remained unbeaten in the end. The Pakistan skipper said:
"The way Rizwan played in the end was outstanding as well to save the game. To be honest, we did not plan a lot about the chase, we thought that we will play positive cricket."
The three-match Test series is currently level at 0-0 after both matches have ended in draws. The third Test between Australia and Pakistan will commence on March 21 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.