Cricket Australia confirms Pakistan tour; PCB announces revised schedule

[WinterFangs]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1504820441047007232

 

[ghazi52]

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Australia’s Steve Smith said Saturday that close catching is a “real challenge” on low-bounce pitches after he spilled a crucial catch in the second Test drawn with Pakistan in Karachi.

The 32-year-old is considered one of the safest pair of hands in the game with 137 catches in 84 Tests, and his drop off Abdullah Shafique’s bat on the fourth day of the Test became a major talking point.

Pakistani opener Shafique went on to score 96 to supplement skipper Babar Azam in a stand of 228 for the third wicket.

Azam racked up a match-saving 196 while Mohammad Rizwan hit 104 not out as Pakistan batted all but 26 minutes on the last two days to score 443-7 in 171.4 overs to ensure a draw.

That left the three-match series tied at 0-0 with the third and final Test starting in Lahore on Monday.

The first Test in Rawalpindi also ended in a draw.

Smith said low-bounce pitches made catching tougher.

“It’s been a real challenge,” Smith said. “I’ve never stood as close to the bat in my life, in any conditions.

“There’s just been no bounce in the wickets, so part of our plan is to ensure the ball carries as much as possible.”

Smith had also described the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch as “benign and dead” after it produced 1,187 runs for the loss of just 14 wickets over five days.

The pitch was later rated “below average” by International Cricket Council referee Ranjan Madugalle.

“It’s been difficult, and difficult to adjust but we’re working on that at training, we’re doing very close nicks that are coming very low and fast and that’s really all you can do.

“Just fingers crossed that they stick.”

Smith praised Azam’s 10-hour, seven-minute knock as “exceptional”.

“I thought he played our spinners so well… Everything seemed to get the middle of the bat until the one that he (Azam) got out on.”

Spinner Nathan Lyon triggered a mini-collapse for Pakistan by grabbing three wickets but the South Asians went on to save the match in the mandatory overs.
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[ghazi52]

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In-form Khawaja, Smith lift Australia to 145-2 at tea in series-deciding third Test....​

AFP
March 21, 2022...

Pakistan and Australia skippers Babar Azam (L) and Pat Cummins (R) are seen at the toss. — Picture vis PCB/Twitter

Australia's Steve Smith, left, bombs his fist with Usman Khawaja after hitting a boundary on the first day of the third test match between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. — AP

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, centre, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Australia's Marnus Labuschagne on the first day of the third Test between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday. — AP

Opener Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith hit half centuries apiece on Monday to help Australia recover to 145-2 at tea on the opening day of the third and deciding Test against Pakistan in Lahore.

The in-form Khawaja was unbeaten on 69 and Smith 58 as they added 137 runs for the third wicket after Australia were jolted early by Shaheen Shah Afridi, who took two wickets off three deliveries.

Australia, that won the toss and batted on a brownish Gaddafi Stadium pitch, added 75 in the post-lunch session without losing a wicket.
Shaheen had Australia in trouble at 8-2 in the third over of the innings when he trapped David Warner leg before wicket for seven and then had Marnus Labuschagne edge behind to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for a duck two balls later.

But Pakistan-born Khawaja batted in the same vein, which earned him scores of 97, 160 and 44 not out so far in the series. He has so far hit eight boundaries and a six in his 16th Test half-century.

Smith pushed spinner Sajid Khan for two to reach his 36th Test half-century, having so far hit six boundaries. He is just eight short of completing 8,000 Test runs.

The three-match series is tied at 0-0 after the Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi ended in draws.

Earlier, the 21-year-old Shaheen was fiery with the new ball, troubling the batsmen with skidding deliveries during an incisive five-over spell of two wickets for 17 runs.
Smith, who survived a confident leg-before appeal off Shaheen's first ball, also saw spinner Nauman Ali fail to hold a hard caught and bowled when he was on 19.

Australia are unchanged from the second Test while Pakistan brought in fast bowler Naseem Shah for all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.

The match marks the return of Test cricket to Lahore for the first time since the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus.

Those attacks forced Pakistan to play their home matches abroad, mostly in the United Arab Emirates.

Australia are touring Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having previously refused to play in the country because of security fears.

Teams:

Pakistan:
Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah


Australia:
Pat Cummins (captain), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Ahsan Raza (PAK) TV umpire: Asif Yaqoob (PAK)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
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[ghazi52]

.....
STUMPS
3rd Test, Lahore, Mar 21 - 25 2022

Australia
(88 overs)....................................232/5

Pakistan


Day 1 - Australia chose to bat.

Current RR: 2.63
• Last 10 ov (RR): 40/1 (4.00)
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...australia-3rd-test-1288312/live-cricket-score
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[ghazi52]

,.,.,.,.
STUMPS
3rd Test, Lahore, Mar 21 - 25 2022

Australia
391

Pakistan
(39 overs).........................90/1

Day 2 - Pakistan trail by 301 runs.

Current RR: 2.30
• Last 10 overs (RR): 16/0 (1.60)
,.,.,.,.,.,

 

[ghazi52]

..
STUMPS
3rd Test, Lahore, Mar 21 - 25 2022,

Australia
(3 overs).............391 & 11/0

Pakistan
268

Day 3 - Australia lead by 134 runs.

Current RR: 3.66
.

 

[-=virus=-]

 

[ghazi52]

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[ghazi52]

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[airmarshal]

Pakistan has tried all it can to lose the series. It should have tried everything to win the series.

 

[airmarshal]

Australians came after 24 years. None of them have even played in Pakistan except Usman Khwaja. Yet, we offered a flat and dead wicket in first Test. It should have been a turning wicket or something to our team's advantage. But we played safe. Defensive batting, defensive captaincy. We had set the tone in the first Test. Now we are chasing to save series.

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Ok this is getting stupid. These will go tuk tuk and then get out. Not even scoring at 3 at this point is crimnal. You are not going to survive 90 overs tomorrow. Either Pakistan losses or win.

 

[Areesh]

Ok this is getting stupid. These will go tuk tuk and then get out. Not even scoring at 3 at this point is crimnal. You are not going to survive 90 overs tomorrow. Either Pakistan losses or win.

For now this is a good strategy. They have scored 73 without losing a wicket. Tomorrow they would have all 10 wickets

But yeah tomorrow playing for draw would be stupid. It is either Pakistan wins it or loses it. No draw possible

 

[-=virus=-]

bad advert for tests, this series.. ekdum boring

Pak have, and have always had some amazing quicks, why no greentop ?

mard e momins acting like daalkhors, I swear.

 

[Areesh]

mard e momins acting like daalkhors, I swear.

What is with virat hindus preparing below average wickets against weak teams like Srilanka?