AUS vs PAK, 1st Test: On the first session of day three of the second Test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday, Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered two crucial blows to rock the hosts. Pat Cummins, the captain, took five wickets to put Australia in a commanding position before the visitors clawed their way into the match. Pakistan began the day at 194/6, with Aamer Jamal (2) and Mohammed Rizwan (29) undefeated. In 56.2 overs, Pakistan reached the 200-run milestone. Australia’s first wicket of the session came from captain Cummins, who dismissed Rizwan for 42 off 51 balls. Pakistan scored 215/7.
Pakistan nearly reached the 250-run mark thanks to a strong 25-run partnership between Shaheen and Jamal, two lower middle order batsmen. With Lyon capturing Shaheen leg before wicket for 21, Pakistan was reduced to 240/8.
Pakistan needed 71 overs to reach the 250-run threshold. Mir Hamza (2) was removed by Lyon, and Cummins removed Hasan Ali (2) to record his 10th Test five-wicket haul. Pakistan trailed by 54 runs at the end of their innings, scoring 264/10 in 73.5 overs. Australia’s best bowler was Cummins (5/48) and Lyon (4/73 in 18.5 overs). Josh Hazlewood secured one wicket as well. Australia got off to a poor start in their second innings when Shaheen removed Usman Khawaja (0) and Marnus Labuschagne (4), bringing Australia down to 6/2. The short score is 318 and 6/2 for Australia (David Warner 4*, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2/5) ahead of 264 for Pakistan (Abdullah Shafique 62, Shan Masood 54, Pat Cummins 5/48) by 60 runs.
