Follow UsPakistan started Day 4 in search of a miracle to save this Test match. 87.3 overs of play later, the hosts have not only survived but they also hold an outside chance to win the game. Set a target of 506, skipper Babar Azam led the way with his sixth Test hundred. He received able support from Abdullah Shafique, who remained unbeaten on 71 at the end of day's play.
Pakistan have finished the day at 192/2. Still 314 runs away from the target, they will derive confidence from the pitch that has not deteriorated as much as many expected. Moreover, Azam and Shafique have notched up a 171-run stand. But the most notable aspect of Day 4 was the absence of reverse swing which was present in abundance on the third day’s play.
Starting the day at 81/1, Australia batted only 5.3 overs today. They added 16 runs to their overnight score when they declared at the fall of Marnus Labuschagne’s wicket. Leaving Pakistan 172 overs to survive, their plan seemed quite obvious when spin was introduced from both ends only after the fourth over.
Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson bowled seven overs each in tandem during which the former pinned Imam-ul-Haq in front of the stumps. The idea was to prepare the ball for the quicks to reverse again. On Day 3, both Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc found ample reverse after the 20th over. Consequently, both bowled three overs between them prior to lunch (overs 19 to 21) but probably it was too less a time to make an impact.
Azhar Ali and Shafique had dropped guard and saw Pakistan through to lunch, even if it came at the expense of the run-rate which became the secondary objective. Pakistan were 18/1 at lunch.
When Cameron Green dismissed Ali in the second over after lunch, it appeared the previous day’s script was on cards again. In an unceremonious dismissal that will remind you of the notorious Daryl Harper decision to rule Sachin Tendulkar out lbw off his helmet, Azhar was struck on his body off a delivery that kept low. While Ahsan Raza lifted his finger that left even the bowler surprised, it was rather astounding to see the batter not going for the DRS (in time). It raised further questions when the replays suggested that the right-hander had gloved it.
However, Azam absorbed the pressure batting alongside Shafique. He found boundaries off the pacers with deft touches and authoritative pull strokes. The third-man and the mid-wicket were his favorite region to score runs.
*strike-rate is a reflection of the scoring shots
The Aussies didn’t find the same amount of swing. The rare moments when the ball did move were too few and far in between, not enough to trouble the batters.
Hence, the spinners bowled a lot more than they did in the afternoon session yesterday which helped the two batters further. Between overs 40 to 43, with Lyon and Swepson bowling in tandem again, Pakistan scored 25 runs to push the run-rate above 2 runs per over.
Hence, Cummins had to switch to the pacers once again. The cycle continued as Australia tried all their bowling options in short bursts. Starc was tried in five different spells while Cummins brought himself on seven times.
It was that kind of a day for Australia. To underline it further, Steve Smith spilled a sitter at first slip. Shafique, on 20, edged one straight into Smith’s lap at first slip who made a meal of it. That remained to be the only chance provided by the pair.
Azam’s hundred was laced with 12 boundaries and came at a healthy strike-rate of 50-plus. As the Pakistani skipper neared his hundred in the final hour of play, Cummins dangled the carrot outside the leg-stump. However, there was intent in their negative line as Swepson tried to spin the ball off the rough into the stumps. Nothing unfurled Azam until the uncharacteristic stroke that took him to his hundred.
Azam swept the ball in the air over the two fine-leg fielders placed in the ring to bring up his first Test ton in two years. After his usual roar, he looked at the dressing room gesturing that he is going to bat.
That is where the game lies now. One of these two will have to bat until the end for Pakistan to stay in the hunt either for a draw or a win. Australia will hope they find the lateral movement that helped them bowl out the hosts in the first innings.