Yasir Shah, No. 8 Pakistan, struck a fiery first test-ton to challenge Australia’s bowler, but could not prevent a successor from being enforced who lost three wickets at the end of the match on the third day.
Pakistan finished its first innings with 302, and Yasir was the last wicket to fall to 113. Tim Paine sent her to Bat shortly thereafter, reducing her to 39/3 and still 248 runs behind Australia’s giant first innings.
Yasir started the day on the side of Babar Azam, Pakistan had six on 96 and 493 runs away from Australia’s first innings total. Babar Azam, who had been fluent the night before, continued his elegant movements and advanced to his twelfth Test 50 in the fourth race of the day.
That maiden Test hundred feeling 🔥#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/TriSRHwsBC
— ICC (@ICC) December 1, 2019
Since Babar looked good from one side, Yasir did a commendable job against the Australian bowlers, even though they were pulled forward by their speed and got some outside edges. One such edge lagged slightly behind Steve Smith, with Yasir on the 26th. On the 33rd, he was again shaved thoroughly when a shipment of Marnus Labuschagne gripped the outside of his ridge and narrowly missed Smith’s fingertips, which was only confirmed by televised re-runs.
Babar continued to look calm and watched Labuschagne’s slingshots into the 90s. On the 43rd, Yasir had another respite when Labuschagne missed a direct chance. By the end of the 65th century, the duo had staged a commendable recovery with 200 insight and a 104-run booth in their kitten.
Mitchell Starc changed ends and profited immediately: He got Babar out of Paine with the kind permission of a one-handed stunner and then managed to get rid of Shaheen Afridi and catch him in front of the stumps.
Babar Azam in Australia, 2019:
— ICC (@ICC) December 1, 2019
At the Gabba: 1 & 104
At the Adelaide Oval: 97 & 8
105 runs in both games. A fine, gutsy series performance comes to an end.#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/R1Gzzb1AR7
Yasir continued his stubborn assault on the other end and aimed his foot at Lyon against the corner of the quill. Mohammad Abbas also gained confidence as he built an important position worth 87 with Yasir. Yasir already finished his first test when the new ball fell.
The three-digit mark came with half-hearted praise that had just fallen behind, but it did not matter to Yasir who changed his goals and broke into a fierce celebration. He was the last wicket to fall into the depths of Lyon, a bowler whom he had aimed at by knocking. The Australian bowlers did not concede a single extra until the 83rd, but their fielders regularly failed to take half chances, and Labuschagne later dropped another player on the short leg.
The second innings in Pakistan began in the midst of frequent rain breaks but contained largely the same template as in their previous gigs. Imam-ul-Haq, who has taken his first test since January, succumbed to a duck with nine balls. Azhar Ali was sent back by Steve Smith in the slips of Starc, who picked his seventh wicket of the match.
Babar Azam made it on the ride to delight the eyes, but was also caught early and came forward to a Hazlewood delivery, which gave the goalkeeper a healthy advantage. Early stumps were called because it rained constantly and allowed the game of the day to be slightly more than 76 overs.
