In Pak vs Aus, Pakistan faced a heavy defeat against Australia by 360 runs in the initial Test at Perth on Sunday.
Led by Shan Masood, the team was dismissed for 89 runs in 30.2 overs, chasing a challenging target of 450 set by the hosts.
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After Pakistan’s dismissal for 271 in reply to Australia’s 487, the hosts declared at 233-5 on the fourth day, led by Captain Pat Cummins’ decision-making. Opener Usman Khawaja led the charge with a resilient 90, partnering with Mitchell Marsh for a substantial 126-run stand.
Marsh remained unbeaten at 63 as Pakistan managed to dismiss Steve Smith and Travis Head early in the day. Despite the momentary hope sparked by these dismissals, Pakistan’s chances quickly faded away.
Pakistan’s run chase began on a tough note with Abdullah Shafique departing for two runs, followed by Captain Shan Masood’s dismissal for two, leaving the team struggling at 17-2.
Mitchell Starc added to Pakistan’s woes by dismissing Imam-ul-Haq for 10, while Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel attempted a brief resistance before Azam fell to Cummins for 14. This left Shakeel on 10 and Sarfaraz Ahmed on one at the break.
Australia started their innings at 84-2, with Khawaja on 34 and Smith on 43. The pitch conditions favored the bowlers, and Pakistan’s pace bowlers troubled the Australian batsmen.
Debutant Khurram Shahzad made an impressive breakthrough by trapping Smith lbw for 45. Travis Head came in but was dismissed for 14, caught by Haq off Aamer Jamal.
Despite surviving reviews, Marsh and Khawaja took charge, with Khawaja reaching his 25th Test half-century. Marsh, too, accelerated, hitting boundaries and securing his second 50 of the match.
As the partnership grew stronger, Khawaja approached 90 but eventually got caught by Azam off Afridi. This prompted Australia’s declaration.
Pak vs Aus schedule is as follows:
– First Test: December 14-18, Perth
– Second Test: December 26-30, Melbourne
– Third Test: January 3-7, Sydney
