Cricket-Pakistan lose Imam in record chase, Australia sense victory

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Australia set Pakistan a record fourth innings target of 506 and then reduced the home side to 18 for one at lunch on day four to be on course for a comprehensive victory in the second test on Tuesday.

Struggling to stay afloat in the contest since conceding a mammoth first innings lead of 408, Pakistan will need to play out of their skin just to take the match into its final day on Wednesday.

Opener Abdullah Shafique was batting on 14 at the lunch break with Azhar Ali on three.

Earlier, Australia batted 25 minutes on Tuesday before declaring their second innings on 97-2, challenging Pakistan to pull off the greatest fourth innings chase in test cricket's history.

Marnus Labuschagne fell for 44, while his Islamabad-born team mate Usman Khawaja followed his first innings 160 with an unbeaten 44.

After four maiden overs of pace bowling against Pakistan, Australia captain Pat Cummins deployed spin from both ends and was rewarded almost immediately.

Nathan Lyon caught opener Imam-ul-Haq plumb in front of the wicket for one in his first over. Imam also blew a review trying to get the decision overturned.

Australia stifled Pakistan bowling 11 maiden overs and not conceding a boundary in 21 overs so far.

Their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years includes three tests, an equal number of one-dayers and a Twenty20 International.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)