Connect with us

Sports

Pakistan declare at 476-4 in first Test against Australia

Published

3 years ago

on

Pakistan declared their first innings at 476-4 on Saturday in the first Test against Australia after brilliant hundreds from Azhar Ali and Imamul Haq on the second day in Rawalpindi.

Ali scored 185 and Haq 157 as Australia toiled hard after Pakistan won the toss and batted on a flat, batting-friendly Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch. The 37-year-old lofted spinner Nathan Lyon for his eighth boundary towards mid-wicket to complete his 19th hundred in his 92nd Test. With that, Pakistan reached 312 without losing another wicket after starting the day on 245 for one.

He has been Pakistan’s mainstay in the Test batting line-up since making his debut in 2010, and boasts a triple hundred against the West Indies — the first since day-night Tests were introduced. Haq was the slowest of the Pakistan pair on Saturday morning, adding just six runs in the first hour and not hitting a boundary until the 90th minute. Haq was lucky to survive a caught-behind appeal on 143 off Lyon the Australians didn’t challenge when replays showed it hit the bat. Meanwhile, Skipper Babar Azam made 36 while Mohammad Rizwan (29) and Iftikhar Ahmed (13) remained not out.

For Australia, Pat Cummins, Lyon and Marnus Labuchagne took a wicket apiece while Azam was run out. Earlier today, the Australian and Pakistan teams paid tribute to legendary spinner Shane Warne with a minute’s silence as play resumed.

“It’s a sad way to start the day,” the television commentator said as players wore black armbands to pay homage to Warne, who died of a heart attack in Thailand on Friday.

The handful of early-morning spectators in the stands also stood in respect. The Australians were playing in Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having declined to tour previously because of security issues. Warne was widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time — a larger-than-life character whose tally of 708 Test wickets has been surpassed only by fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. His death is a double blow for Australia after another cricketing great, Rod Marsh, also died on Friday after suffering a heart attack. Cummins admitted the team was shaken. “Yeah, these are really tough times with, you know, both Rod and Shane gone,” the Australian skipper told the host broadcaster ahead of the day’s play.

“I just encourage everyone to talk about it.”

Cummins said Warne was popular around the world. “You know, his showmanship and all those things that he brought to Australian cricket are probably my longer-lasting memories.

“I think playing across the world, you realise just it wasn’t only Aussies that felt that it was … in all corners.”

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Haris Rauf and Usman Khan have been included in Pakistan’s ODI team for New Zealand.

Published

23 hours ago

on

By

The Pakistan team management has directed fast bowler Haris Rauf and wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan to remain in New Zealand and integrate into the ODI squad for the forthcoming series.

Simultaneously, eight players from the T20 squad will return to Pakistan, while five others have been integrated into the ODI team in Napier.

After concluding the T20 series, the Pakistan team and coaching staff journeyed from Wellington to Napier. Rauf and Usman, initially members of the T20 squad, have now been incorporated into the ODI roster.

The ODI team now comprises Salman Ali Agha, Haris Rauf, Khushdil Shah, Irfan Khan Niazi, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, Muhammad Ali, and Usman Khan.

Simultaneously, Captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and seven additional ODI players were present in Napier. The eight remaining T20 team members, comprising Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Umair Bin Yousuf, Hassan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, and Jahandad Khan, will return to Pakistan through Dubai.

The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and New Zealand is scheduled to commence on March 29.

Continue Reading

Latest News

NZ thrash Pakistan in the last Twenty20 match and hit the target in ten overs.

Published

2 days ago

on

By

Tim Siefert’s scorching undefeated score of 97 helped New Zealand overcome Pakistan handily in the last game of the five-match Twenty20 series.

Additionally, Pakistan’s bowlers were costly in the last Twenty20 match. In two overs, Jahandad Khan scored 43 runs at an economy of 21.5, Shadab Khan scored 33 runs at an economy of 16.5, Muhammad Ali scored 27 runs, and Haris Rauf scored 22 runs. In just two overs, Sufiyan Muqeem claimed two wickets and conceded just six runs, demonstrating exceptional performance.

The Pakistani batting line was unable to score a significant amount in the last Twenty20 International of the five-match series.

At Wellington Regional Stadium, New Zealand won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first in the sixth Twenty20 International.

As they continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, Pakistan managed to score 128 for nine wickets. In keeping with his recent success, captain Salman Ali Agha scored a half-century before being removed at 51. Mohammad Haris scored 11 and vice captain Shadab Khan scored 28.

None of Pakistan’s batters managed to reach double figures save for these three.

With the ball, James Neesham was outstanding as he recorded his first T20 fifer. Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi shared one wicket each, but Jacob Duffy took two.

Following Pakistan’s defeat in three of the four series games, the visitors made five changes to their starting lineup.

The playing XI now includes Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Jahandad Khan, and Sufiyan Muqeem, while Shaheen Afridi, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, and Abrar Ahmed were dropped.

Even after his contentious return to international cricket, Shadab Khan has managed to get a spot in the fifth consecutive Twenty20 International despite his dismal domestic play. He still serves as the team’s deputy captain for Pakistan.

In the last four games, the all-rounder has scored 30 runs and claimed just one wicket at an economy rate of 10 and an average of 110.

The team’s bowling unit was not playing up to par, according to bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, who also highlighted the difficulties caused by bounce and pace in New Zealand.

He suggested that Haris Rauf’s playing XI would change for the final game and commended him for his bowling performance.

New Zealand leads the five-bout match 3-1 and has already claimed the series.

The Pakistani

Hasan Nawaz, Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Sufyan Moqim, Mohammad Haris (wk), Salman Ali Agha (c), and the following individuals

New Zealand:

Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke

Continue Reading

Latest News

Pakistan and Bangladesh exclude ODIs from their bilateral series.

Published

3 days ago

on

By

The cricket boards of Pakistan and Bangladesh have resolved to eliminate ODIs from their forthcoming bilateral series.

Sources indicate that the two teams, set to compete in May, will not engage in any One Day Internationals. In light of the forthcoming T20 World Cup, the boards have collaboratively decided to substitute ODIs with T20 matches.

According to the initial itinerary, Bangladesh was scheduled to compete in three ODIs and three T20Is in Pakistan. The updated schedule now comprises five T20I matches.

Sources have said that Pakistan would visit Bangladesh outside the planned itinerary to compete in a T20I series, with a three-match T20I series anticipated in July.

Continue Reading

Trending