If you watched the 2021 home Tests, you’ll remember two things: Fawad Alam’s rescue act in Karachi, and Keshav Maharaj quietly, relentlessly asking questions—especially of Pakistan’s right-handers. Fast-forward to 2025 in South Africa, and he was still in the thick of things. So, which Pakistani batters have played him best?
First, a quick refresher on the big series
• Karachi, Jan 2021 (1st Test): Pakistan won by 7 wickets; Fawad Alam’s 109 turned the match. Maharaj still chipped in with 3/90 in Pakistan’s first innings.
• Rawalpindi, Feb 2021 (2nd Test): Pakistan won by 95 runs. Maharaj bowled long spells: 3/90 in the first innings and 3/118 in the second. He dismissed Imran Butt and Abid Ali early, and later trapped Hasan Ali lbw.
The standout: Mohammad Rizwan
On a batter-vs-bowler basis in Tests, Rizwan’s record against Maharaj is quietly excellent: 51 runs off 126 balls for just one dismissal across their meetings to date. In ODIs, he’s 44 off 47 with one dismissal—again steady and largely risk-free. The pattern says “compact, patient, low-ego play” rather than domination, but it works.
The rollercoaster: Babar Azam
• In that 2021 home series, Babar was lbw to Maharaj three times in four innings—a mini-trend that got tongues wagging. (It was the left-arm spinner’s drift and the one that skids on.)
• Zooming out to career head-to-head in Tests, it’s 62 runs off 131 balls, out 3 times—an average of 20.7. Not a crisis, but definitely a contest he’s had to work at. Notably, in 2025 he faced Maharaj without getting out (16 off 36), suggesting some adjustment.
The Karachi masterclass: Fawad Alam
Fawad’s Karachi hundred (109) didn’t come by slogging; he swept and dead-batted smartly during long, attritional passages that included plenty of Maharaj. There was even a moment where Azhar edged Maharaj and Elgar couldn’t hang on—Pakistan fans exhaled; the rebuild rolled on. It’s fair to say Fawad looked assured against him through that innings.
The seniors: Azhar Ali & the openers
• Azhar Ali played a valuable 51 in Karachi but was caught behind off Maharaj—a classic off-stump probe from the left-arm spinner.
• Abid Ali had the rough end in Rawalpindi, edges nicked off by Maharaj during that top-order wobble (caught behind for 13).
Recent touchpoint: Cape Town 2025
On Pakistan’s 2024-25 tour, Maharaj stayed relevant. Agha Salman was stumped off Maharaj during Pakistan’s fightback at Newlands, and the spinner picked up three late in the match as South Africa sealed the series. Different year, same storyline: if you switch off against him, he sneaks one past.
So… who plays him best?
Short answer: Mohammad Rizwan, by the numbers—calm strike rotation, very few false shots, and only one Test dismissal to Maharaj so far. Fawad Alam (at Karachi) showed a clear, repeatable method—sweep options plus soft hands—that others can copy. Babar Azam has improved since 2021, but Maharaj remains a genuine test of his lbw defense from over the wicket.
What works against Maharaj
• Commit to a plan: either a decisive stride forward or a true back-foot game. Half-length pokes brought those 2021 lbws.
• Rotate, don’t freeze: Rizwan’s low-drama singles kept the field moving and the pressure off.
• Sweeps with control: Fawad’s Karachi template—mix of slog-sweep, paddle, and the straight sweep—blunted the middle spell.
Verdict for Pakistan fans
If you’re betting on who looks most comfortable versus Keshav Maharaj today: Rizwan tops the list, Fawad’s Karachi method is a great blueprint, and Babar—despite that 2021 blip—has clearly tightened up. Against a bowler who thrives on patience and tiny errors, that’s exactly the trend you want to see.