Wisden has ranked Pakistan skipper Babar Azam’s 196 against Australia third among the 10 best match-saving fourth-innings efforts of the 21st century
Wisdon report said the Pakistan captain lived up to his reputation when his team needed him the most and “piled misery” on the Australian team to raise hopes of Pakistan’s win.
“The hosts had been bowled out for 148 in the first innings and were under immense pressure in the second innings after being set a target of 506. All of this didn’t seem to matter to Babar, who played an all-time great knock,” the report added.
Azam had come in to bat when the team was reeling at 21 for 2. He had formed an incredible 228-run partnership for the third wicket with Abdullah Shafique but did not flinch even when the young’un departed a few short of his century.
The skipper was closing in on his first-ever double century when he fell prey to Nathan Lyon. In all, he had scored 196 off 425 balls, hit 21 boundaries, and a solitary six.
It was his best and most memorable knock in Pakistan colors — certainly in Tests and maybe even in all formats. Azam had broken the following three records with his performance:–highest score by a Pakistani batter in fourth innings, the highest score by a captain in the fourth innings, and most balls consumed by a Pakistan batter in the fourth innings.
His score was so impressive that even foreign media figures — including those from neighboring India — couldn’t help but wax lyrical about him.
The following are the top 10 fourth-innings batting performances listed by Wisden:
Australia’s Ricky Ponting – 156 (275) vs England at Manchester, 2005
South Africa’s Faf du Plessis – 110* (376) vs Australia at Adelaide, 2012
Pakistan’s Babar Azam – 196 (425) vs Australia at Karachi, 2022
India’s Rishabh Pant – 97 (118) vs Australia at Sydney, 2021
South Africa’s Hashim Amla – 25 (159) vs Sri Lanka at Colombo, 2014
England’s Matt Prior – 110 (182*) vs New Zealand at Auckland, 2013
Australia’s Usman Khawaja – 141 (302) vs Pakistan at Dubai, 2018
England’s Ian Bell – 78 (213) vs South Africa at Cape Town, 2010
South Africa’s Faf du Plessis – 134 (309) vs India at Johannesburg, 2013
West Indies’ Dwayne Smith – 105* (105) vs South Africa at Cape Town, 2005
