RAWALPINDI, Pakistan —
Australian opener
Usman Khawaja missed out on a century as Pakistan's spinners
managed a double breakthrough on the third day of the opening Test in
Rawalpindi on Sunday.
اضافة اعلان
At tea, Australia were 222 for 2 with
Marnus Labuschagne unbeaten on 33 and Steve Smith on 12.
Australia trail by 254 runs with
eight wickets remaining after Pakistan declared their first innings at 476-4.
Pakistan-born Khawaja was caught at
forward short leg by Imam-ul-Haq for 97 as he gloved a reverse sweep off
left-arm spinner Nauman Ali.
Umpire Aleem Dar ruled him not out,
but
Pakistan were given the wicket on review.
Khawaja's 219-minute knock included
15 boundaries, and he put on 156 for the opening wicket with David Warner, who
made an attractive 68.
Warner fell in the eighth over after
lunch when he missed a square drive and was bowled by off-spinner Sajid Khan.
Earlier, Khawaja and Warner scored
at more than four an over in the morning session, a contrast to the Pakistan
first innings which lasted two days and 162 overs.
Pakistan's seam bowling duo and
their three slow bowlers found the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch as
unresponsive as the tourists did on the first two days when only four wickets
fell, with little spin and no reverse swing.
But Pakistan only had themselves to
blame for not making a crucial breakthrough as Khawaja was dropped twice in a
clumsy fielding display by the hosts.
Fawad Alam spilled a straightforward
chance at gully off a miscued cut when Khawaja was on 22, much to the
disappointment of bowler
Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Khawaja took full advantage of the
reprieve, hitting three successive boundaries before reaching his 15th Test
half-century off just 67 balls.
He was also let off by wicketkeeper
Mohammad Rizwan this time when Khawaja, on 62, gloved a chance while trying to
reverse-sweep a Nauman delivery.
Australia are on their first tour to
Pakistan since 1998, having previously refused to tour the country over
security fears.
Read more Sports
.jpg)
.jpg)
