Australia completed off a memorable 2023 with a convincing 79-run win within the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Melbourne because the Pat Cummins-led facet took an unassailable 2-0 lead within the three-match collection. Cummins led from the entrance together with his second 10-wicket haul in a match as Pakistan could be upset that they let this one slip by means of their fingers given it was there for the taking because the guests wanted 98 runs to win with 5 wickets in hand however one wicket and all of it got here downhill on Day 4 on Friday, December 29.
The day began with Australia including 75 runs to their in a single day rating of 187 to set a goal of 317 runs for Pakistan to chase down within the remaining innings. Alex Carey scored a fifty and was the final man to get out guaranteeing Australia’s lead went past 300. The goal was all the time going to be difficult for Pakistan however they made greater than a good combat out of it with skipper Shan Masood main from the entrance but once more.
Both the openers received out cheaply earlier than Shan and former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam stored the Australians at bay for an hour or so. Shan got here out with constructive intent and fought hearth with hearth. For the primary time within the collection, Babar Azam seemed assured of his defence and was decided to do one thing for his facet earlier than one other incoming supply from Josh Hazlewood had his identify written on it.
Shan smashed a 71-ball 60 whereas Babar received out after scoring 41. Both received begins however Pakistan wanted considered one of their senior batters to go lengthy and rating a century if they’d any likelihood of successful the Test match. Agha Salman and Mohammad Rizwan then stitched a 57-run stand and introduced the required runs to lower than 100.
Pakistan group and their followers had began believing but it surely was the final recognised pair they usually wanted each of them to get them to at least 260-270 however one wicket and all of it sport downhill. Cummins’ supply hit Mohammad Rizwan’s wristband on the best way to the wicketkeeper. The third umpire reckoned that the band was hooked up to the glove and therefore overturned the choice in Australia’s favour. Rizwan was clearly sad. Salman scored a fifty but it surely wasn’t to be for Pakistan.
From 219/5, Pakistan folded for 237 with Cummins taking 5/49, following up his figures of 5/48 within the first innings. Mitchell Marsh starred with the bat but once more for Australia as his 96 within the second innings after surviving a dropped catch was the turning level. For Pakistan, skipper Shan smashed fifties in each innings and talked about that the sport may have been totally different if they’d taken their probabilities.
Pakistan will hope to keep away from a clear sweep in Sydney as they dropped to fifth place within the World Test Championship factors desk whereas Australia rose to joint-second place alongside New Zealand and Bangladesh.
