Babar Azam reaches century against Australia in Test day four
The visitors are still need 127 to make Australia bat again.
BRISBANE, Australia (AFP) – Pakistan’s Babar Azam scored his second Test century as his side continued to fight hard to save the first Test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday.
Azam brought up his century off 160 balls when he drove Pat Cummins through cover for four runs, his 13th boundary of his innings.
His only scare came when he was on 75 when he survived a close lbw shout off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.
The Australians reviewed the decision but ball tracking showed umpire Richard Kettleborough had made the right decision.
At the drinks break in the second session, Pakistan were 213 for five, with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan alongside Azam on 48.
The visitors are still need 127 to make Australia bat again.
They earlier lost Shan Masood for 42 and Iftikhar Ahmed for a duck in the first session.
Babar Azam was fighting a lone rearguard action on day four of the first Test against Australia as the home side tightened the screws
At lunch on the fourth day, Pakistan were 144 for five in their second innings, still 196 runs from making Australia bat again.
Pakistan had earlier resumed their second innings on 64 for three, with Shan Masood and Azam at the crease.
The Pakistan pair looked comfortable against the Australian attack and brought up their 50-run partnership midway through the first hour.
But on 42 Masood tried to hook a Pat Cummins short ball and got a thin edge to Australian wicketkeeper Tim Paine to leave the visitors 93 for four.
One run later Paine was in the action again when new batsman Iftikhar Ahmed was squared up by a beautiful ball from Josh Hazlewood and could only manage to edge it through to the Australian captain to fall without scoring.
Azam and Rizwan are the last recognised batsmen left for Pakistan.
