March 18, 2022 0
Mohammad Rizwan, on the other hand, isn’t having any of it. He isn’t ready to simply drop anchor and buckle down. He is, in fact, buckle up and ready to take off in full gear. The final two overs Pakistan needs only 12 more deliveries to make history. To get this far, they’ve fought for 170 overs, which seems improbable. Since Test matches were play over five days, they’ve already lasted longer than any other team. This is their chance to shine. They still have three wickets in hand, including Mohammad Rizwan in the middle order. With the finish line in sight, he is the one holding the baton. After facing 167 deliveries, he’s already kept the Aussies at bay for nearly four hours. Rizwan’s team only wants him to face the majority, if not all of the dozen balls left in the inning. After all, this isn’t a fight for survival. This isn’t a one-on-one battle. This isn’t going to be a cautious last-ditch effort to save the day. Instead, this is a valiant attempt to reach safety. This is a risky foray into freedom. Rizwan isn’t going to be the lone soldier holding the fort as the Aussies charge in for a final charge. If anything, he’s the lone marauder launching the final assault on them. Pakistan’s effort in Karachi over the last two days will not be remember as a dramatic draw. It was a well-planned heist full of daring and self-assurance. They didn’t waste the 171.4 overs hanging on in fear, instead going toe-to-toe with Pat Cummins and his team until the very end. And it was Australia that was forced to withdraw its troops and accept defeat, despite the fact that the pitch never gave way to the extent that it was expected to. Rizwan penned the finish with the debonair flair of a man made for the big occasion. If Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique laid the foundations of this marathon effort with class and composure. Nothing summed up Pakistan’s incredible achievement better than the megathon’s penultimate over. ...