Yasir 113, Babar 97; Pak Face Defeat In Adelaide Test

ADELAIDE, Dec 1 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Dec, 2019 ) ::Pakistan's top-order batting staggered once again and lost three top-order batsmen for mere 39 runs during their second innings after they had conceded a lead of 287 runs in reply to Australia's 589-3 in the first innings when the rain stopped play on Day 3 of the day-night pink ball second test here on Sunday.

Very much like an encore at the end of first innings, Australia enforced follow-on and asked Pakistan to bat again at almost the same time on Day 3 as they had done on second day after declaring their first innings on 589-3 just half an hour before the evening session.

Australia had exploited the conditions fully with the pink ball under lights and succeeded in getting Pakistan 6 first innings wickets for mere 89 runs.

It was for the first time since 2015, although Australia had decided against it on 5 previous occasions, that they decided to enforce follow-on against Pakistan in this day-night test.

Today, they had reduced Pakistan to 39-3 in their second innings after the follow-on and might have made more inroads into the middle order if the rain had not fallen cats and dogs at the Adelaide oval in the evening to bring a premature end to the third day's play.

Although rain was the forecast for most of the Day 3 - David Warner had admitted in his media briefing on the close of Day 2 that rain forecast had motivated the declaration a little before evening session of Day 2 to have enough time to get Pakistan out twice in case of loss of time due to rain but the rain stayed away for most part of the day and provided Australia the fullest opportunity to go at Pakistan all guns blazing in the afternoon of Day 3 since Pakistan were reeling on 96-6 in their first innings.

Babar Azam and Yasir Shah started the Day 3 with caution and care under gloomy Adelaide skies kept Australian bowlers at bay during the first session.

A century partnership between Babar Azam and Yasir Shah saved Pakistan from falling apart and reached 213-8 at the close of extended first session which had started half an hour earlier than the scheduled time of 02:00 pm.

Babar Azam played a scintillating innings of 97 runs under gloomy Adelaide skies. Babar's innings suffused the field with light of his delicate cover-drives and exquisite stroke-play as he hit 11 boundaries but in his error of judgment in selection of stroke, he edged the ball to the wicket-keeper Tim Paine to miss on back-to-back hundreds.

Babar's wicket gave Mitchell Satrc his fifth scalp while it was also the 5th catch of the innings for Tim Paine. Babar Azam notched up a partnership of 105 runs with Yasir Shah which is the best 7th wicket partnership for Pakistan against Australia.

Shaheen Shah Afridi 0 (1) was the other wicket to fall off the bowling of Starc who got the better of Pakistan fast bowler with a unplayable Yorker on the very next ball. However, Muhammad Abbas denied Starc a hat-trick in the match.

Yasir Shah found in Muhammad Abbas an able partner and continued to frustrate the Australians with his perseverance and reached his maiden hundred and celebrated in a very unique Warner-like leap and unusual brandishing of the bat after being possessed by emotion, although he clarified that he did not know what he really to celebrate the moment of achievement.

Yasir Shah was the seventh number 8 batsmen to score a hundred against Australia. He was first Pakistani number 8 batsman since 13 years to score a hundred as it was Kamran Akmal who scored a hundred against India in Karachi test in 2006.

Yasir Shah added 87 runs partnership with Muhammad Abbas which was the second highest 9th wicket partnership for Pakistan against Australia. Muhamamd Abbas fell for 29 (78) off the bowling of Cummins.

Shan Masood 14 (55) and Asad Shafiq 8 (17) remained undefeated on Day 3 and would resume on Day 4 an uphill task of saving innings defeat and the match which improbable given the amount of time left in the match although Asad Shafiq had already played a marathon innings of 137 not out in the first day-night pink ball test at the Gabba in 2016.

The match will resume half an hour early on Day 4 for make up for the lost time due to rain interruptions in the day-night second test at the Adelaide Oval.