Dubai: Haris Sohail crafted a maiden century and stitched together a 150-run partnership with Asad Shafiq (80) to lift Pakistan to a commanding of 482 on the second day of the first Test against Australia at the Dubai International stadium on Monday.
After openers Mohammad Hafeez and Imam Ul Haq had placed Pakistan on the road to a big score on the first day, Sohail and Shafiq made the Australians sweat through their huge partnership on the second day.
Sohail, playing in his sixth Test match, scored 110 off 240 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes before cutting Nathan Lyon into the gloves of wicketkeeper and skipper Tim Paine. Shafiq’s 80 runs came off 165 balls with nine boundaries and one six.
Australian pacer Peter Siddle stood out among all the bowlers taking three wickets for 58 runs.
At close, Australia were 30 for no loss.
Australia walked onto the field in the morning hoping to get some quick wickets. They did get nightwatchman Mohammad Abbas out quickly after just 4.4 overs. Peter Siddle ended Abbas’ vigil that lasted 26-ball for one run after he was bowled with a delivery that moved away and missed his outside edge and hit the stumps.
Asad Shafiq, who joined Harris Sohail, took 20 balls to get off the mark and in the first hour of play only 19 runs were scored.
Australia refused to take the new ball though it was due by last session on the first day hoping that their pacers can generate some reverse swing and spinners get some help. Both plans did not work out in favour of them.
Shafiq stepped out to hit Lyon over the sight screen to steer Pakistan past the 300 run mark in the 113th over.
The pair recorded their half century partnership and by lunch Pakistan were 329 for four.
Australia took the new ball after lunch for the 120th over but if refused to bring any luck for the Australian bowlers.
Shafiq was the first to reach his 21st half century in 111 balls through a cracking shot to extra cover boundary off Mitchell Starc. It was so well hit that it raced to the boundary before any fielder moved. Sohail took reached his third half century in 149 balls. The pair recorded their 100-run partnership in 38.4 overs. Sohail played most of his shots with excellent timing beating the fielders regularly. Most of his shots were played all along the ground.
Pakistan went past the 400-run mark in the 143rd over with Shafiq hitting Holland for two consecutive boundaries first was cut away wide of short third man and another lofted over mid-wicket.
Leg spinner and debutant Marnus Labuschagne provided the break through by taking his first Test wicket removing Shafiq, It was an ideal leg break delivery that made Shafiq go forward as the ball spun and took his bat’s outside edge into wicketkeeper Tim Paine’s gloves. Shafiq and Sohail by then had put on 150 runs in 49 overs.
Babar Azam joined Sohail and Pakistan went in for tea with a commanding score of 417 for 5. Pakistan lost their sixth wicket when Azam got run out for 4, going for a run that wasn’t there and Labuschagne from mid-wicket produced an accurate throw to wicketkeeper.
Sohail reached his maiden century in 223 balls and received a warm hug from his skipper and non-striker Sarfraz Ahmad. Luck favoured Sarfraz on eight when Aaron Finch at slips dropped him off a leg break from Labuschagne.
After Sohail fell Safraz Ahmad and Bilal Asif added another 14 runs before Ahmad on 15 was brilliantly run out by a direct hit at the bowler’s end by Finch from covers. Siddle clean bowled Asif who attempted a slog shot across the line. Starc, who toiled for 36 overs without a wicket finally got the wicket of Yasir Shah in his 37th over.
Scoreboard:
Pakistan, 1st Innings: (Overnight 255-3)
Imam-ul-Haq c Paine b Lyon 76
Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Siddle 126
Azhar Ali c Starc b Holland 18
Haris Sohail c Paine b Lyon 110
Mohammad Abbas b Siddle 1
Asad Shafiq c Paine b Labuschagne 80
Babar Azam run out 4
Sarfraz Ahmed run out 15
Bilal Asif b Siddle 12
Wahab Riaz not out 7
Yasir Shah c Paine b Starc 3
Extras: (6b, 21lb, 3nb) 30
Total: 482 all out (164.2 overs)
Fall of wickets: 1-205, 2-222, 3-244, 4-260, 5-410, 6-418, 7-456, 8-470, 9-473, 10-482.
Bowling: Mitchell Starc 36.2-11-90-1 (2nb), Peter Siddle 29-11-58-3, Nathan Lyon 52-12-114-2, Jon Holland 29-1-126-1, Marnus Labuschagne 8-0-29-1, Mitchell Marsh 10-0-38-0 (1nb)
Australia, 1st Innings:
Usman Khawaja not out 17
Aaron Finch not out 13
Extras: 0
Total: 30 for no loss (13 overs)
To bat: Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Jon Holland, Nathan Lyon
Bowling: Mohammad Abbas 4-1-9-0, Wahab Riaz 2-0-6-0, Yasir Shah 4-0-14-0, Mohammad Hafeez 2-1-1-0, Bilal Asif 1-1-0-0
Toss: Pakistan.
Umpires: Richard Kettleborough and Richard Illingworth, England.
Third Umpire: Sundaram Ravi, India" Match
Referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.
