The first men’s Test between Pakistan and Australia is headed for a draw on a lifeless Rawalpindi pitch, but the final session of day four played host to some absorbing moments.
Just like Australia opener Usman Khawaja (97) had done on day three, teammates Marnus Labuschagne (90) and Steve Smith (78) both squandered a chance to make a hundred as Australia toiled through to stumps at 7-449, trailing Pakistan’s first dig by 27.
The final session threw up three wickets, which in the context of this largely uneventful Test can be considered a Pakistan blitz, as tweaker Nauman Ali and paceman Naseem Shah invigorated the match.
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Ali executed a cunning tactic to remove Cameron Green (48) and replicated the strategy to dismiss Smith four overs later, pitching the ball a long way outside leg stump and lulling them into sweeping as he manufactured the wickets.
“They are happy because they have bought a wicket,” said former England Test batter Rob Key on Fox Cricket as Green trudged from the middle.
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Shah then sent Australia gloveman Alex Carey on his way during the second-last over of the day, when he produced a magnificent delivery bowling around the wicket.
The right-arm quick angled the ball into the left-hander, jagged it away and had it crashing into the top of off.
Carey never looked like getting any bat to it and the bails went flying.
“How about that!” Key said.
“That is an absolute beauty. That has rattled into off stump. Done by the length and speed more than anything.”
Former Pakistan international Urooj Mumtaz labelled Shah’s delivery “an absolute stunner”.
“Perfect length,” she said.
“How many times do you see this?
“Hit the top of off and he’s done it absolutely perfectly.”
Ali, a left-arm orthodox bowler, finished the day with the figures of 4-107 from 37 overs.
Smith had been searching for his first Test century since January 2021, when he peeled off 131 against India at the SCG.
The insatiable right-hander has made 27 Test hundreds but has now strung together 11 innings without reaching triple figures.
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