RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s batters have done the job even though they took just about two days to pile up 476-4 before declaring their first innings. The onus is now on their bowlers to deliver in their first Test against Australia on home soil since 1998.

Azhar Ali followed Imam-ul-Haq as the second century-maker of the Pakistan innings at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, the veteran missing out on a double century when he was the hosts’ fourth wicket to fall after making 185.

Opener Imam, who’d batted the entire first day, added 25 runs to his overnight score of 132 before becoming the first Pakistan batter to fall on the second day after the hosts had resumed at 245-1. Skipper Babar Azam made 36 while Mohammad Rizwan (29 not out) and Iftikhar Ahmed (13 not out) were at the crease at the time of declaration.

Azhar said at the close of play that the decision to declare came because Pakistan wanted to bowl during the last hour of scheduled play but their plans came unstuck as bad light allowed just one over of off-spin by Sajid Khan.

Australia made five runs in that over for no loss with Pakistan-born opener Usman Khawaja making all their runs and David Warner yet to open his account.

“The plan was to give our bowlers an hour before stumps today and get two, three wickets tonight, but unfortunately it didn’t work out because of cloud cover,” Azhar said. “I hope the wicket will assist spinners in the coming days, but we have to bowl really well to get Australia out.”

The day began on a sombre note with both teams wearing black armbands and offering a minute’s silence in memory of Australian spin legend Shane Warne, who passed away on Friday as well as the victims of Friday’s mosque attack in Peshawar.

Pakistan started off at snail’s pace, with Azhar and Imam adding just 57 off the 25 overs bowled in the morning session. Imam was the slowest of the two batters, scoring just six runs in the first hour and taking 90 minutes to hit his first boundary.

Azhar, who resumed at 64 not out, reached his century after lunch with a lofted shot for his eighth boundary, over mid-on off Nathan Lyon.

Imam then got lucky. The left-hander survived a caught-behind appeal off Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Had Australia opted for a review after having their appeal turned down, they’d have had got Imam at 143 as replays showed the ball nicking off the toe end of the bat.

Despite getting another life, Imam could only add 14 before the visitors’ captain Pat Cummins trapped him lbw to help Australia break the 208-run stand for the second wicket. Imam’s marathon innings included 16 fours and two sixes and came off 358 balls.

Azhar went on to combine with Babar for another 101 for the third wicket before he finally faltered in an attempt to up the run-rate when he miscued a reverse sweep off part-time leggie Marnus Labuschagne. The right-hander departed after hitting 15 boundaries and three sixes during his 361-ball stay at the crease.

“I wanted a double hundred but we were close to declaration and we had to try and score faster,” said the former Pakistan skipper.

“The ball was reversing and it was not easy to score against the pacers. So I had to take chances against the spinners and unfortunately I got out in the process.”

Labuschagne was also involved in Babar’s dismissal when he picked the ball up and threw it with one hand from midwicket as Babar tried to complete a quick run with Azhar on the other end.

For Australia’s attack, it was a hard toil. While Labuschagne, Cummins and Lyon managed a wicket apiece, strike-bowlers Mitchell Starc (0-71) and Josh Hazlewood (0-53) went wicket-less.

Labuschagne said Australia must take it “over by over” to find their way back into the game.

“It’s just patience, being disciplined in the game and making sure we stay focused for a long period of time,” the batter said.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 245-1):

Abdullah Shafique c Cummins b Lyon 44

Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Cummins 157

Azhar Ali c Green b Labuschagne 185

Babar Azam run out 36

Mohammad Rizwan not out 29

Iftikhar Ahmed not out 13

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, NB-1) 12

TOTAL (for four wkts decl, 162 overs) 476

DID NOT BAT: Fawad Alam, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-105 (Shafique), 2-313 (Haq), 3-414 (Azam), 4-442 (Azhar)

BOWLING: Starc 24-5-71-0; Hazlewood 26-6-53-0; Lyon 52-5-161-1; Cummins 28-5-62-1; Head 3-0-13-0; Green 15-3-47-0 (1nb); Labuschagne 12-0-53-1; Smith 2-0-5-0

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):

Usman Khawaja not out 5

D. Warner not out 0

TOTAL (for no wkt, one over) 5

STILL TO BAT: M. Labuschagne, S. Smith,T. Head, C. Green, A. Carey, P. Cummins, M. Starc, N. Lyon, J. Hazlewood

BOWLING (to-date): Sajid 1-0-5-0

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2022