Cricket-Pakistan's Shafique, Azhar keep Australia at bay on day three
By Sudipto Ganguly
Karachi Sport News
Pakistan's Shafique, Azhar keep Australia at bay on day three
Abdullah Shafique and Azhar Ali struck unbeaten half-centuries on Wednesday as Pakistan delivered a strong response to Australia's first-innings total of 391 in the deciding third and final test in Lahore.
Former Pakistan Captain Explains Steve Smith, Virat Kohli's Century Drought
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are without doubt two of the finest batters of their generation. However, both players have failed to score a big knock in recent times, despite starting off well. While Smith last scored a century in the longest format against India in Sydney last year, Kohli has failed to reach triple figures since the pink-ball Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in 2019. As a result, Smith and Kohli's recent century drought has been the topic of discussion within the cricketing fraternity.
Pakistan vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 2 Report: Pakistan Steady After Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi Halt Australia
Pace spearheads Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi knocked over eight wickets and restricted Australia to 391 before Pakistan ended day two of the deciding Test at 90-1 in Lahore on Tuesday. The duo led a late charge to close the second session as Australia lost their last five wickets for 71 runs after reaching a commanding 320-5 at lunch. Naseem finished with figures of 4-58 and Shaheen 4-79. At stumps, the game was evenly poised and the series hanging in the balance as Abdullah Shafique, 45, and Azhar Ali, 30, returned to the pavilion five overs early due to bad light.
Pakistan steady after Naseem, Shaheen halt Australia in third Test
Pace spearheads Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi knocked over eight wickets and restricted Australia to 391 before Pakistan ended day two of the deciding Test at 90-1 in Lahore on Tuesday.
Pakistan vs Australia: Steve Smith Surpasses Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar To Script Test Record
Australia batter Steve Smith has been in fine form for the team in the ongoing tour of Pakistan. After playing knocks of 78 and 72 in the first and second Test in Rawalpindi and Karachi, respectively, Smith registered yet another 50+ score in the first innings of the ongoing third and final Test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Despite failing to reach triple figures so far in the series, Smith scripted a huge record with his knock of 59 in the first innings. Smith, who took his tally of runs to 7,993, surpassed former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, who had scored 7,913 runs after 150 Test innings.
Pat Cummins Reveals Similarities Between Virat Kohli And Three Other Batting Superstars
Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has had his fair share of on-field battles with modern-day greats Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Babar Azam and Kane Williamson. When asked about the similarities in how these prolific right-handers construct their innings in the longest format of the game to achieve the amount of success that all of them have managed consistently, Cummins said all of them "know their game" incredibly well. "All know their game incredibly well, They are never flustered, happy to bat long periods of time," Cummins said while replying to an NDTV query in a select-media interaction organized by Sony Sports Network.
Pakistan vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 1 Report: Usman Khawaja And Steve Smith Miss Milestones As Australia Crawl To 232-5
Opener Usman Khawaja missed a century by nine runs Monday and Steve Smith fell short of completing 8,000 runs as Australia ended the opening day of the third and final Test on 232-5 against Pakistan in Lahore. Khawaja followed up his 160 in the drawn Karachi Test with a sedate 91, while Smith scored 59 as the pair helped Australia recover from pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi's double strike at the start of the match.