Face-Off Between The Giants - AUS vs PAK 2nd Test Match

Australia scored 187 runs for three wickets on the rain-affected first day of the second cricket Test against Pakistan...

The second Test Series match between Australia and Pakistan was played on 26 December at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia. The pitch is generally considered good for both batting and bowling, but due to the presence of more grass on the pitch, it helped the fast bowlers a lot and it will be challenging for the batsmen to score runs. But if the batsman plays carefully in the beginning then good runs can be scored in the middle order.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and decided to bowl first at the Melbourne Cricket Ground amidst cloudy sky, but despite fielding four fast bowlers, the visiting team failed to dominate.

Usman Khawaja's (42) runs from 101 balls and David Warner's (38) runs from 83 balls dashed Pakistan's hopes of achieving early success by adding 90 runs for the first wicket with the help of the bowlers. Meanwhile, Warner was caught by Babar Azam in the slips in the last over before lunch off-spinner Agha Salman.

Rain Interrupted the Rhythm

Tea break was taken early due to rain. Play resumed after about three hours. Afridi made Steve Smith LBW on the score of 19 runs but after taking the help of DRS it was shown that the ball did not hit the wickets and the third umpire declared him not out. Smith, however, was behind the wicket on the ball of Aamer Jamal with a personal score of 26 runs. He was caught but the on-field umpire did not give him out. However, Smith had to return to the pavilion after Pakistan took DRS.

What Happened After the Rain?

In the first match of the Test series between Australia and Pakistan, Australia won by a huge margin of (360) runs. Australia had scored a total of (720) runs, after which Pakistan, while chasing the target, was all out after scoring (360) runs with this, Australia won the match and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Smith hit two fours in his 75-ball innings and added 46 runs for the third wicket with Marnus Labuschagne. At the end of the day's play, Travis Head supported Labuschagne with nine runs. Australia, which won the first Test by 360 runs, Did not make any changes to its team. Pakistan allowed Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, and Mir Hamza in the team in place of wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed, injured fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, and Faheem Ashraf.

Australia scored 187 runs for three wickets on the rain-affected first day of the second cricket Test against Pakistan with Marnus Labuschagne's unbeaten 44-run fighting innings.