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After a thrilling battle against Pat Cummins to begin
the third day, Australia reclaimed control of the first Test against Pakistan
at Optus Stadium, with Babar Azam losing to all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.
Following Australia’s big 487-run first innings,
Pakistan had displayed resoluteness at the batting and had fought back into the
match thanks to a blossoming combination between opener Imam-ul-Haq and captain
Babar. They took pleasure in batting on a surface that seemed to play easier
than it had over the first two days.
However, their aspirations were dashed just before
lunch when Babar was caught off guard by a short delivery from Marsh, who had
already made 90 in Australia’s opening innings. Marsh went on to have an
incredible match.
Imam’s defiance of Pakistan’s plan to bat with greater
initiative ended in terrible fashion when he sprinted down the field to
offspinner Nathan Lyon but failed to make contact and was stumped. Pakistan had
produced a strong rearguard.
After his Ashes campaign was cut short due to a calf
injury, Lyon was only two wickets away from 500 Test wickets on his comeback.
Mitchell Starc’s stunning swinging delivery that
knocked out wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off stump sealed Pakistan’s collapse.
Ahmed was kept in the team despite Mohammad Rizwan’s dismissal.
The flurry of wickets meant Pakistan were facing an
uphill task to avoid a 15th consecutive Test defeat in Australia.