The historic three-Test series between Pakistan and Australia is headed for a gripping finish after the home team reached stumps on day four at 73-0. Opening batters Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique survived 27 overs as Pakistan requires another 278 runs for victory with a minimum of 121 overs to be bowled in the innings.
This looms as another formidable challenge on a slow Lahore surface marked by low bounce with reverse swing and occasional sharp turn evident. History is against Pakistan with 208 runs being the highest successful fourth innings chase in Lahore while no team has survived more than 110 overs.
Captain Pat Cummins had ended Australia’s second innings at 227 for 3 shortly after tea in a bid to ensure plenty of time for his bowlers on a pitch playing tricks but is not a minefield. The declaration dangled a carrot to Pakistan, who defied the odds during their remarkable chase of 506 in Karachi when they finished at 443 for 7 from 171.4 overs.
Who could have predicted that the Pakistan team would bat for two days after scoring less than 150 runs the first innings and make about 450 runs. But unfortunately, Pakistan didn’t have a winning approach. We all know it isn’t easy to play aggressively in the fourth innings of a Test match, but at least the team should have a winning approach.
The build-up to the Pakistan-Australia series, kicking-off with three Tests and following into three ODIs and one-off T20I was nothing less than perfect. The Baggy Greens landed in Pakistan expecting foolproof security and they got it. But when it came to what Australia were really in Pakistan for, cricketing duties, they were at the least disappointed by the dead pitches prepared for the Test series.
Making use of the home advantage is an art which the big cricket nations have perfected. Australia, England and South Africa trounce the visitors with bounce, swing and seam, while Asian teams prepare spinning tracks to bamboozle their opponents. It is a norm which, to be honest, adds beauty to the idea of playing at home and away. However, Pakistan may have just forgotten how to use home advantage to their actual advantage.
In the final Test match, Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique made a confident start in Pakistan’s daunting chase, to leave Pakistan still needing 278 runs in a minimum 90 overs on the last day Friday. The home team should chase the target easily as they still have 10 wickets in hand.
