Bad light stopped play after tea on the third day of the opening Test between Pakistan and Australia at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Australia were 271-2 with Marnus Labuschagne unbeaten on 69 and Steve Smith 24 as overcast conditions and fading light forced the umpires to take the players off the field.
Australia trail Pakistan by 205 runs with eight wickets intact after the hosts declared Saturday on 476-4. Australia are on their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, having refused to visit on security grounds.
Usman Khawaja narrowly missed his 11th Test century in Pakistan, where he was born in 1986 before his parents emigrated to Australia. The left hander was caught at forward short leg on 97 by Imam-ul-Haq as he gloved a reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Nauman Ali.
"It was a bit disappointing. You come to the change room and feel worse than getting a 20 in some respects," Khawaja said in the post-match press conference.
Umpire Aleem Dar ruled him not out, but Pakistan were given the wicket on review.
"My family would have been watching back home... my wife too, who is pregnant with our second child. But if you put that in perspective, then I was not in the Australian team two months ago so I am very grateful and happy that I have contributed to the team's total in the end," he added.
Khawaja's 219-minute knock included 15 boundaries, and he put on 156 for the opening wicket with David Warner, who made an attractive 68. Warner fell in the eighth over after lunch when he missed a square drive and was bowled by off-spinner Sajid Khan.
The pair scored at more than four an over in the morning session, a contrast to the Pakistan first innings which lasted two days and 162 overs.
Pakistan's seam bowling duo and their three slow bowlers found the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch as unresponsive as the tourists did on the first two days when only four wickets fell, with little spin and no reverse swing.
Follow Us