Australia eight wickets away from Test win over Pakistan

Smith’s first-innings ton put the game on Australia’s terms but he was partly to blame for their stalled push for victory.

The most special of all, Pakistan also broke India’s record of highest fourth innings score by a visiting team in Australia. Asad Shafiq, overnight 100, continued from where he had left off, and looked on course to guide Pakistan to what would have been an wonderful come-from-behind victory, but he was out for 137.

However, pakistan has started their first innings with slow batting and lost their first wicket Azhar Ali at the fifth over when the team made only six runs.

Saker described the Pakistan run chase as “heroic” but Bird’s late wicket tilts the scales back strongly in Australia’s favour after the tourists began to seriously threaten a miracle.

Pakistan had no such safety net, and when the crash came under the Gabba lights against the wobbling pink ball, they went swiftly into free fall. Renshaw did not last long in the second innings. The visiting batsmen jutted their bats out at the bad real estate offered by Australia’s canny bowlers like so many reckless traders, and were left observing the ruins of their first innings like former employees of Lehman Brothers. It was a matter of time before I had a good innings. Smith and Usman Khawaja (74) combined in a 111-run partnership to lift the total to 135. Four balls later, Shah was bizarrely run out – caught out of his ground when Smith threw the stumps down at the striker’s end from second slip.

Shafiq and No. 10 Yasir Shah prolonged it for 22 overs, making Australian skipper Steve Smith nervous when they got within 60. He scored 48 at the Gabba, falling two runs short of his maiden fifty in Tests. We wanted to show character, and we wanted to show determination. While he was at the wicket, Pakistan’s hopes of a remarkable victory were still realistic.

England 654/5 vs South Africa at Durban in 1939. In the previous 27 overs, Pakistan had added 111 runs for the loss of one wicket.

Nathan Lyon (4/10): As Australia toyed with the idea of playing four seamers at The Gabba, Lyon claimed in the press conference before the game that he was confident of selection. Strangely, Younis made a decision to reverse sweep Lyon, who was extracting some turn and notable bounce. It didn’t matter to them whether it was the fifth day or whether there were cracks in the pitch; all that mattered to them was the scorecard and they kept it moving, the Australian way!

Sarfraz Ahmed (19) was dropped by Smith at first slip in the first over after the dinner break but was soon bowled by a fast and full Starc delivery. They showed (tail) a lot of courage.