Pakistan Batting Collapses As Australia Lead By 123 Runs In Third Test

Pakistan were bowled out for 268 in the first innings, thanks to blistering bowling by Aussies pacers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Stars who shared nine wickets among themselves and provided the visitors a first-inning 123-run lead on the third day of the third and the final Test at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2022 ) :Pakistan were bowled out for 268 in the first innings, thanks to blistering bowling by Aussies pacers Pat Cummins and Mitchell stars who shared nine wickets among themselves and provided the visitors a first-inning 123-run lead on the third day of the third and the final Test at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

For Pakistan, opener Abdullah Shafique was the top scorer with solid 81 runs while Azhar Ali (78) and Babar Azam (67) contributed meaningful half-centuries.

Pakistan players were batting at 248/4 when the Australian duo bowled magical spells, taking next six wickets of the hosts for mere 20 runs. Australian captain Pat Cummins finished with figures of 5/56 to break through the middle order and finally mopping up the tail. Mitchell Starc removed top and middle order and picked up 4 wickets for 33.

As Cummins and Starc shared majority of the wickets to rip through home batting Nathan Lyon managed a scalp.

Australian openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner managed to see through three overs before stumps to take their side to 11-0, extending the lead to 134 overall.

When Pakistan were at 248/3, left-armer Starc triggered the collapse with a double strike to remove Fawad Alam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and then also picked up the prized wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam for 67. Cummins, who had taken the only wicket to fall on Tuesday, ran through the lower order to leave the sparse crowd stunned in silence.

The collapse looked even more unbelievable after Abdullah Shafique and Azhar Ali struck resolute half-centuries, leaving Australia wicketless in the first session, to set up a good platform for Pakistan to post a sizeable total. Azhar Ali made 78 and added 150 for the second wicket with Shafique.

The 22-year-old Shafique, playing only his fifth Test, was out for 81, becoming the first wicket to fall in the second session of the day.

The pitch offered some variable bounce but did not pose too many problems for the batters till the final hour of play.

Resuming at overnight score of 90-1, Shafique and Azhar continued to be watchful but also punished any loose deliveries to keep alive the hosts' hopes of taking a lead in the first innings. Steve Smith, who has had a tough time in the series with his catching, did not help the Australian bowlers' cause by failing to convert two opportunities at slip. Smith dropped Azhar, on 62, off leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and also saw an edge from Babar off Nathan Lyon fly past him with the batter on 20.

It took a spectacular return catch from Cummins to dismiss Azhar, former Pakistan Cricket captain Azhar Ali, who achieved a rare distinction in his cricket career by reaching his 7,000 Test run. He achieved this milestone by appearing in his 94th Test match. He becomes only the fifth Pakistan batsman and 54th in sport to score 7,000 Test-run Azhar joined Pakistan legends Younis Khan (118 Tests, 10,099 runs), Javed Miandad (104 Tests, 8,832), Inzamam-ul-Haq (119, 8,829) and Mohammad Yousuf (90, 7,530). The 37-year-old veteran joined the elite list of Pakistan batsmen who have already performed this rare feat by sweeping Australian spinner Nathan Lyon to reach the landmark. Azhar posted 78 runs and was caught and bowled by Australia captain Pat Cummins.

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheeh Shah Afridi, Naseem ShahAustralia: Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Sweepson, Nathan Lyon.