LAHORE: Pakistan collapsed like a house of cards as Australia took an iron grip on the third and decisive cricket Test match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Replying to Australia’s 391 and resuming the third day at 90 for one, Pakistan were cruising nicely at 248 for three before they plummeted to 268 after losing their last seven wickets for 20 runs in 63 balls. Pakistan had gone into tea break at 227 for three.
Australia captain Pat Cummins led from the front and took five wickets for 56 runs, his seventh five-wicket haul in 41st Test, while his new-ball partner Mitchell Starc claimed four wickets for 33 runs as the two speedsters caused havoc almost 26 overs after the second new ball was in operation.
When play ended on Wednesday, Australia were 11 for no loss. Australia now lead Pakistan by 134 runs and sense their first win at the Gaddafi Stadium since Richie Benaud’s side defeated Imtiaz Ahmed’s team by seven wickets in November 1959.
Cummins and Starc maintained tremendous pinpoint accuracy as four of the last seven batters were clean bowled, Babar Azam and Nauman Ali were trapped in front of the wickets and Hasan Ali was caught by Steve Smith in the first slip.
In fact, the beginning of the end of Pakistan’s innings had started at the total of 214 when Cummins brought off a stunning and athletic caught and bowled catch of Azhar Ali to end a 44-run third wicket partnership between him and Babar. Mohammad Rizwan lasted 14 balls before Starc beat the wicketkeeper-batter with pace and swing to strike the off-stump.
Pakistan were in complete control, until Australia launched their pace attack. The guests are in to bat now, and all eyes will be on Day 4. #BoysReadyHain l #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/iIICRGdo6V
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 23, 2022
Cummins forced Sajid Khan to drag the ball onto his leg-stump stumps, then pinned Nauman in front of the wickets before having Hasan caught in the slips to complete a well-deserved five-fer. Last-man Naseem Shah was no match to Starc’s quality as Pakistan nosedived from 248 for three to 268 all out to leave the crowd shell-shocked and stunned.
The middle and lower-order’s batting display wasted an excellent work by Abdullah Shafique, Azhar and Babar, who struck impressive half-centuries to place Pakistan in a position from where they could have dictated terms.
Abdullah, who started the day at 45, was dismissed after scoring a well-constructed 81. He faced 228 balls and struck 11 fours. Azhar remained unaffected with the departure of Abdullah as he continued to play his signature and trademark shots. Azhar became Pakistan’s fifth batter to complete 7,000 Test runs.
Babar became the ninth batter to be dismissed when he was trapped in front of the wickets by Starc. Nine wickets fell on the third day and 189 runs were scored. Pakistan seem to be once again behind Australia and will require a herculean effort to come out of a crisis.
