Australia vs Pakistan, 3rd Test: Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc Put Visitors In Control At Stumps On Day 3

Pace spearheads Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc took nine wickets between them and ran through Pakistan's batting order, bowling out the hosts for 268 to give Australia a shot at a series victory in the third and deciding Test in Lahore on Wednesday. At stumps on day three, Australia were 11-0 in their second innings with Usman Khawaja on seven and David Warner four. Cummins finished with 5-56 and Starc bagged 4-33 to trigger an afternoon collapse which saw the home team lose their last six wickets off 40 balls with the addition of just 12 runs.

Australia were only able to add 11 to a comfortable 123-run first-innings lead as play ended seven overs early due to bad light.

The series is Australia's first in Pakistan for 24 years with security fears scuppering possible tours but the contest has been marred by flat pitches.

The first two Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi ended in high-scoring draws.

Pakistan looked well placed with 227-3 at tea, having lost just Abdullah Shafique (81) and Azhar Ali (78) in the first two sessions, but Starc and Cummins wreaked havoc with the second new ball.

Starc removed Fawad Alam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (one), while Cummins bowled Sajid Khan (six) as Pakistan collapsed to 264-6.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam fought a lone battle, scoring 67 runs that included seven boundaries and a six, but wickets tumbled around him with the last four dropping with the addition of a single run.

Starc trapped Azam leg-before while Cummins polished the remaining tail.

The collapse allowed Australia to cover up their sloppiness in the field after Steve Smith dropped Azam when he was batting on 20.

Cummins hoped a good day's work would help them win the Test.

"I thought that we bowled really well," he said. "We