Pakistan vs Australia: Australia wins 100-2 in Karachi despite the loss of Warner and Labuschagne.
KARACHI: Australia opener Usman Khawaja hit his second half-century of the series, but the visitors lost two fast wickets and were 100 for two at lunch on Saturday, the opening day of the second test against Pakistan.
Khawaja, who was born in Islamabad, was batting on 52 at the interval, on track for a century after his 97 in the opening test in Rawalpindi.
After the departures of David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith batted on seven and faces a rebuilding task.
Australia got off to a solid start when Pat Cummins chose to bat on a dry surface at the National Stadium, which has already developed cracks and is anticipated to collapse early.
Khawaja looked like he was in great shape. He scored easily on the leg side after getting a lot of feed from his pad.
Warner, on the other hand, was less convincing, escaping two LBW appeals and being struck on the shoulder by a short ball from Hasan Ali.
Australia’s total was taken to 50 when Warner struck Sajid Khan for a six in the 11th over.
In his fourth over, Sajid gave up two more sixes, which led Pakistan captain Babar Azam to remove the spinner from the attack.
L U N C H
🇦🇺 100-2@Uz_Khawaja 52*@stevesmith49 7*@iFaheemAshraf 1-20#BoysReadyHain l #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/u0EqZ7ya1J
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 12, 2022
Faheem Ashraf ended the opening partnership of 82 runs with a back of a length ball that Warner, who scored 36, could only edge to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.
It was a boundary from Faheem that brought Khawaja’s score up to ten, but Pakistan quickly won again.
Sajid deflected Marnus Labuschagne’s powerful drive at mid-off and knocked down the stumps at the non-end striker’s end ismiss the batsman for a duck.
In the absence of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Swepson, a leg-spinner, makes his test debut, partnering Nathan Lyon in Australia’s two-man spin attack.
Pakistan welcomed back Faheem and Hasan, who were both injured in the initial test.
Australia’s first test in Pakistan in 24 years ended in a tie in Rawalpindi.
Cummins is effusive in his appreciation of Karachi’s pitch.
At the toss earlier today, Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, chose to bat in Saturday’s second Test against Pakistan at Karachi’s National Stadium.
“This seems to be an excellent wicket…
Our task now is to bat large, “the Australian captain said.
“It’s a classic Karachi surface; it will benefit the spinners later in the innings,” Pakistan skipper Babar Azam remarked.
The first test at Rawalpindi, Australia’s first in Pakistan in 24 years, ended in a dreary draw after a five-day run-fest on a track that the match referee rated as “below ordinary.”
Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (captain), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Swepson, and Nathan Lyon represent Australia.