After managing to take just four wickets in 239 overs in Rawalpindi, it took the Australian bowlers just 53 overs yesterday to knock over Pakistan, who finished their first innings with just 148 runs.
An Usman Khawaja century in the first innings put the tourists in a solid position heading into what was certain to be a pivotal third day. Skipper Pat Cummins and debutant Mitchell Swepson helped add 51 runs to Australia’s overnight total of 505, before declaring just nine overs into the morning.
Faced with a sizeable total, Pakistan’s top order failed to fire for the first time this series; Abdullah Shafique was run out by Swepson for just 13 and Imam-ul-Haq was caught by Cummins off the bowling of Nathan Lyon not long after. Mitchell Starc claimed the wickets of Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam on consecutive balls and had Pakistan reeling at 4-for-60. Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Sajid Khan and Hasan Ali all failed to reach double-figures as Pakistan’s batting unit collapsed, losing six wickets for just 42 runs. Skipper Babar Azam did his best to steady to ship before being dismissed by Swepson on 36 for the first wicket of his Test career. Late cameos from Nauman Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi pushed Pakistan’s total to 148 but the Pakistani batters had few answers to Australia’s attack.
Starc took innings-best figures of 3-for-29, whilst Swepson finished with 2-for-32 on debut. Cummins, Lyon, and Cameron Green each took a wicket, whilst Swepson and Marnus Labuschagne both came up run-outs. Cummins elected not to enforce the follow-on, instead sending openers Khawaja and David Warner back in. Warner went cheaply for just seven, before Khawaja and Labuschagne ended the day with an unbroken 61-run partnership. Australia will start Day 4 at 1-for-81 with Khawaja on 35 and Labuschagne on 37.
It is now Australia’s Test match to lose, especially with the pitch seemingly becoming more bowler-friendly as the match progresses. Many questioned Cummins’ decision to declare late, however, it paid off big time for the Australians. There were also calls for Cummins to enforce the follow-on, which he decided against. The ball is in Australia’s court; they currently lead by 489 and hold all the power heading into Day 4.
