Australia pick two wickets after tea to leave Pakistan reeling at 132-2

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 15 Dec 2023

At the conclusion of the first day, Pakistan were left reeling at 132-2 with Imam-ul-Haq (38) and Khurram Shahzad (7) unbeaten.

Pakistan started their innings with a steady opening stand of 74 runs between Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq before Nathan Lyon dismissed the former after tea break.

Shafique scored 42 runs from 121 balls with the help of six boundaries.

Shan Masood then joined Imam-ul-Haq and played a counter-attacking innings while his partner played steadily from the other end.

They added 49 runs for the second wicket but Starc got Masood caught behind on DRS after the umpire turned down the appeal initially.

Masood scored 30 runs from 49 balls, featuring five boundaries.

Debutant Khurram Shahzad was sent in as nightwatchman to see off the remaining few overs.

He and Imam-ul-Haq remained firm against Australian bowling until the stumps were called.

Earlier in the day, debutant Aamer Jamal claimed six wickets to help Pakistan bowl Australia out for 487 after Mitchell Marsh played a 90-run knock.

Marsh and Alex Carey knitted a partnership of 90 runs for the sixth wicket to keep Australia in a commanding position in the first session.

However, Jamal castled Carey at a total of 411 after the wicketkeeper scored 34 runs.

Marsh held on to his end firmly and kept stealing runs while Pakistan bowlers kept challenging the other end.

He had two brief partnerships of 38 and 27 runs with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins before another debutant Khurram Shahzad bowled him with scoreboard reading 476-8.

Marsh played a brilliant innings of 90 runs from 107 balls, laced with 15 boundaries and one six.

Jamal then claimed the last two wickets of Cummins and Nathan Lyon to bring the curtain down on the Australian innings at 487.

He returned with the bowling figures of 6-111, while Shahzad picked two wickets.