Pak vs Aus, 3rd Test: Australia beat Pakistan by 115 runs in 3rd Test, Pat Cummins gets player of the match, Usman Khawaja gets player of the series.
Brief Scores: Australia 391 (Khawaja 91, Green 79, Carey 67, Smith 59, Naseem 58/4, Afridi 79/4) & 227/3dec (Khawaja 104*, Warner 51, Naseem Shah 23/1) beat Pakistan 268 (Shafique 81, Azhar 78, Babar 67, Cummins 56/5, Starc 33/4) & 235 (Imam 70, Babar 55, Lyon 83/5, Cummins 23/3) by 115 runs
While chasing an imposing target of 351 runs in the fourth innings, Pakistan made 73 runs without losing any wicket at the end of the fourth day.
Cameron Green cleans up Abdullah Shafique
On the fifth morning, Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique resumed batting. However, Shafique had to walk back to the pavilion early as the batter went forward which resulted in an edge which was grabbed easily by wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Shafique made 27 runs off 80 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and one six.
Pakistan lose Azhar Ali for a meagre score
One down batter Azhar Ali joined hands with opener Imam in the middle. Imam completed his fifty off 122 deliveries. Azhar Ali played cautiously at the start of the innings, though he broke the shackles by smashing two boundaries off left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc.
After Pakistan went past 100, Azhar was caught by Steven Smith at slip off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, however, the umpire refused the appeal of visitors. Australia challenged the umpire’s decision which resulted in overturning the decision in their favour. Azhar could make only 17 runs off 47 deliveries in his brief innings.
Read More: Pak vs Aus, 3rd Test: Khawaja's 104* helps Aus set Pak 351; hosts 73-0 with openers holding fort
Australia lose three more wickets
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and Imam took their team to 136 till lunch break. After the break, off-spinner Lyon removed Imam as Marnus Labuschagne caught him at silly point. Imam made 70 runs off 199 deliveries consisting of five boundaries.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins trapped Fawad Alam plumb in front of the wickets. Fawad could make only 11 runs in this innings and left his side languishing at 165 for four in front of the huge target of 351 runs. Cummins broke the back of hosts by removing new batter Mohammad Rizwan on duck.
Babar Azam completes fifty but Pakistan inch close to loss
Even as Pakistan continued to lose wickets at one end, Babar batted well at the other end. Babar and lower-order batter Sajid Khan took Pakistan to 190 till tea break. After the break, the batting duo charged against left-armer Starc and smashed three boundaries in an over. Babar continued to hammer elegant boundaries against the visitors, however, he got caught by Smith at first slip off Lyon. Babar made 55 runs off 104 deliveries with the help of six boundaries but was unable to stay the course to help his side survive in the match.
As the hosts lost the top six wickets, they were not far away from losing this Test against Australia at home. Starc snapped up Sajid Khan on 21 in the next over to put Pakistan in deep trouble.
Read More: Pak vs Aus, 3rd Test: Cummins, Starc take 9 wickets between themselves to give Aus 123-run lead
Nathan Lyon bags fifer, Australia win the series 1-0
Lyon dismissed the next two batters to take his side close to a historic win. Skipper Cummins knocked down the stumps of Naseem Shah to win the Test for Australia by 115 runs.
Australia returned to Pakistan first time in 24 years and conquered the Test series 1-0 which was the same margin by which they won back in 1998-99 under the indefatigable Mark Taylor. This is their third Test series victory in Pakistan.
Lyon took a five-wicket haul by conceding 83 runs. Australia skipper Pat Cummins won the Player of the Match award by taking a total of eight wickets in the Test, whereas opener Usman Khawaja was given the Player of the Series award for amassing 496 runs in the series.
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