Pak vs Aus: Pakistan face big defeat after Starc heroics

KARACHI: A rampaging Australia were within striking distance of their first ever Test triumph at Pakistan’s National Stadium fortress after skittling the hosts for just 148 on Monday.

In a dramatic turn of events on the third day of the second Test, pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins produced deadly reverse swing to blow away the Pakistanis. After bowling out the home team, skipper Cummins opted against enforcing a follow-on. In their second innings, Australia were 81 for the loss of David Warner. Khawaja, who hit a big ton in the first innings, was unbeaten on 35 and Marnus Labuschagne was not out on 37. The tourists have a lead of 489 and it seems only a miracle can save Pakistan from what would be an embarrassing defeat in the match.

The National Stadium track which seemed to be quite placid when the Australians amassed 556-9 — their highest total in Asia in 15 years — suddenly came to life when it was Pakistan’s turn to bat.

There wasn’t any sudden change in the nature of the surface. It was just that he Australians almost took the wicket out of the equation as the pacers, especially Starc, bowled fiery spells, gaining both speed and reverse swing to rip through the Pakistani innings.

There was reverse swing for Pakistan’s pacers, too, but they were unable to bowl as fast as Starc, who was regularly touching the 150km mark. He finished with 3-29. It was the 26th over of the Pakistani innings in which Starc put the Aussies firmly in control when he scalped the in-form Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam on consecutive deliveries. Pakistan, who started confidently, were reduced to 60-4 and were never able to recover. Two poor run-out dismissals didn’t help their cause either.

For Pakistan the rot started when opener Abdullah Shafique attempted a suicidal run only to be sent back by a brilliant direct hit from debutant Mitchell Swepson. Pakistan were now 26-1. Azhar joined Imam-ul-Haq and the two added 19 to the total before Imam, who hit tons in both innings in the first Test in Pindi, fell tamely to Nathan Lyon. By that time, the pacers were getting reverse swing and the Pakistanis just couldn’t handle it. They continued to lose wickets in quick succession.

After Starc’s twin strikes, a shaky Mohammad Rizwan failed to survive for long, falling to Cummins. Faheem Ashraf was sent back by pacer Cameron Green before Sajid Khan became Starc’s third victim. Skipper Babar Azam was unable to do much about the collapse. He didn’t even try to farm the strike. Just when Pakistan needed a partnership, Hasan Ali was ran out by Labuschagne. Babar joined him soon as he miscued a well-flighted delivery from leggie Swepson. Tail-enders Nauman Ali (20 not out) and Shaheen Afridi (19) added 30 runs — the highest partnership of the innings — for the last wicket. Swepson finally ended the stand when he dismissed Shaheen to finish with 2-32.

It was really hot at the sun-baked National Stadium and unsurprisingly, Cummins decided to bat again in a bid to give his bowlers a well-deserved rest.

Warner’s below-par tour continued when he fell to Hasan for just 7. But Khawaja and Labuschagne added to Pakistan’s misery with an unbeaten stand of 61 for the second wicket. Khawaja earned a reprieve when he was dropped on 30 by Rizwan behind the stumps. Labuschagne, who got run out for a duck in the first innings, showed why he is the number one batter in Test cricket, when he hit five fours and a six in his 38-ball 37.

Australia are expected to continue batting till the lunch break on Tuesday before Pakistan return to the crease. In that case the hosts would still need to bat for more than 150 overs on a wicket which is offering an uneven bounce and against an Aussie bowling attack that is baying for blood.

The longest fourth innings ever produced at the National Stadium came way back in 1976 when New Zealand batted for 80 (8-ball) overs to save the Test. Pakistan can take some solace from the fact that the highest successful fourth innings run-chase here was achieved by them against Australia in 1994. Then they made 315-9 to record a memorable win.

But with victory out of question, the only thing that would be on their minds over the next two days, is to save the Test. Will they be able to do it? On the basis of their batting horror show today, such a goal seems highly unlikely.

Australia won the toss

Australia 1st Innings 556/9d

Pakistan 1st Innings

Shafique run out (Swepson) 13

Imam c Cummins b Lyon 20

Azhar c Green b Starc 14

Babar (c) c Khawaja b Swepson 36

Fawad lbw b Starc 0

Rizwan† c †Carey b Cummins 6

Ashraf lbw b Green 4

Sajid c †Carey b Starc 5

Hasan run out (Labuschagne) 0

Nauman not out 20

Shaheen lbw b Swepson 19

Extras: (b 6, lb 2, nb 3) 11

Total: (53 Ov ) 148

Fall: 1-26, 13.2 ov 2-45, 19.6 ov 3-60, 25.4 ov 4-60, 25.5 ov 5-76, 31.1 ov 6-81, 32.3 ov 7-97, 37.2 ov 8-102, 41.4 ov 9-118, 46.1 ov 10-148, 52.6 ov

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 13-5-29-3 Pat Cummins 13-2-39-1 Nathan Lyon 9-5-13-1 Mitchell Swepson 9-1-32-2 Cameron Green 8-1-23-1 Marnus Labuschagne 1-0-4-0

Australia 2nd Innings

Usman not out 35

Warner c Fawad b Hasan 7

Marnus not out 37

Extras: (lb 2) 2

Total: (17 Ov) 81/1

Yet to bat: Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey †, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Swepson, Nathan Lyon

Fall: 1-20, 5.2 ov

Bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-14-0 Hasan Ali 4-0-14-1 Sajid Khan 5-0-31-0 Faheem Ashraf 3-0-13-0 Nauman Ali 1-0-7-0

Test Debut: Mitchell Swepson

Umpires: Ahsan Raza, Aleem Dar