Lahore Test: Afridi, Naseem assist Pakistan restrict Australia to 232 for five regardless of one other Khawaja masterclass on Day 1
Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah made positive Pakistan had their noses in entrance after a hard-fought opening day of the third Test in opposition to Australia on the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore on Monday. Australia had been restricted to 232 for five at Stumps regardless of Pakistan not being at their finest on the sphere.
Shaheen Afridi struck twice in his second over, a lot to the delight of the Lahore followers as Test cricket returned to Lahore for the primary time because the 2009 assault by gunmen on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket crew. He received opener David Warner trapped LBW and dismissed in-form Marnus Labuschagne for 0.
Pakistan vs Australia, Lahore Test Day 1 Highlights
However, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith struck resilient fifties to assist Australia recuperate from the 2 early strikes. Khawaja missed his third hundred of the tour by simply 9 runs however the left-handed opener lead the harm management and helped Australia inch in direction of a decent whole on a extra spicy pitch than those that had been on provide in Rawalpindi and Karachi.
Khawaja and Steve Smith had a 138-run stand for the third wicket because the duo batted out 53.3 overs collectively, stalling the Pakistan cost.
Australia might have been in even deeper bother however Pakistan did not capitalise on the probabilities provided by Khawaja and Smith.
Looking to dominate left-arm spinner Nauman Ali from the onset, Khawaja, on 12, flashed onerous at a full-pitched supply however the edge flew beneath the arms of Babar Azam within the lone slip place.
On the following supply, Nauman failed to carry on to a simple return catch from Smith, who was on 19.
Speaking after his stable exhibiting on Day 1 of the third Test, pacer Shaheen mentioned: “I always try to take early wickets with the new ball. The wicket is pretty good for batting, my plan was to bowl in the right areas.
“We did not get lots of assist in the final two Tests, so we considered being constant, bowl wicket-to-wicket. We (as a bowling group) needed to execute our plans and assume we did so,” he mentioned.
PAKISTAN STRIKE LATE
However, younger pacer Naseem, who had changed Faheem Ashraf within the XI for the third Test, broke the stand by getting Steve Smith for 59. Off-spinner Sajid Khan received the large wicket of Khawaja within the closing session when Babar Azam held onto a surprising catch on the slip cordon.
Naseem Shah eliminated Travis Head for 20 to choose up his 2nd wicket however Cameron Green and Alex Carey had been stable for his or her 20 and eight not out respectively. The duo helped Australia head to the shut of play with none additional harm.
