Australia Vs Pakistan test match ends in a draw

Despite Australia taking only four wickets on a dead pitch on Day 5 of the first Test in Rawalpindi, Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique both reached hundreds. The Pakistan Cricket Board wasted an opportunity to make the opening Test of the three-match series in Rawalpindi memorable by creating a docile ground. With an hour left in the game, both teams agreed to call it a day.

In response to Pakistan’s declared first innings score of 476/4, Australia was bowled out for 459 on the final day of the match. In his first Test since November 2019, Imam scored 157 in the first innings of the fourth innings, which was declared 476/4. He scored an unbeaten 111 in the fourth innings. In addition, Abdullah Shafique, Imam’s opening partner, hit his maiden test century and was undefeated on 136 as Pakistan finished the fifth and final day of their second innings on 252/0, winning by 269 runs.

After combining for 105 runs in the first innings, Shafique and Imam became the first Pakistan opening pair to share a century partnership in each of the innings against Australia. Despite returning to Test cricket in Pakistan after 24 years, Australia was unable to exploit its three frontline pacers or Nathan Lyon’s turning ability due to a benign pitch at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

In the first innings, Lyon bowled 78 overs and conceded 236 runs for Shafique’s lone wicket. After starting the day at 449/7, Australia managed to bat out the day in four overs. In the end, they all had 459 each. Nauman Ali, Pakistan’s left-arm spinner, took a career-high 6-107 on the grassless pitch, giving Pakistan a 17-run advantage in the first inning.

Karachi hosts the second test match in the three-match series on Saturday. Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in 24 years features three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and a Twenty-20 International (T20I), all of which will take place in Rawalpindi.