Pak vs Aus: Australia in command of second Test after Mitchell Starc crushes Pakistan

KARACHI: Mitchell Starc guided the Australian pace attack with three wickets on day three of the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi, putting the visitors in lead.

In response to Australia’s massive first innings of 556-9 declared, the lanky left-armer took 3-29 as Pakistan were swept out for a pitiful 148.

Despite having a 408-run lead, Australia did not enforce the follow-on and were 81-1 in their second innings at the end of the third day, leading by 489 runs with nine wickets intact.

Usman Khawaja was undefeated on 35 and Marnus Labuschagne was unbeaten on 37 after David Warner was dismissed for seven by Hasan Ali.

“It’s a much more abrasive wicket, few more cracks, and the square is so much drier and bare which played a factor in achieving the reverse swing,” said Starc.

“Over the last couple of days we knew the pitch would deteriorate to some degree, but we were not sure it would happen so quickly.”

Australia has two full days to secure a major victory and grab a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, which is their first visit to Pakistan in 24 years.

In contrast to Pakistan’s collapse in 53 overs, Australia hung out for 189 overs, plundering runs with ease.

As Pakistan lost six wickets in the space of 62 runs after being 38-1 at lunch, Starc, who went wicketless in the drew first Test in Rawalpindi last week, got Azhar Ali (14), Fawad Alam (nought), and Sajid Khan (five) out.

Mitchell Swepson, a debutant leg-spinner, finished with 2-32, including the wicket of Azam, who was caught at long-off after miscuing a drive.

Everything went wrong in the first over after lunch when Haq, who had made two hundred in the first Test, was bowled by Nathan Lyon, who lofted the ball to skipper Pat Cummins at mid-on.

Starc then had Azhar caught in the slips, and his next delivery, a superb in-dipping yorker, trapped Alam. When Mohammad Rizwan was beaten neck and crop, he came close to completing a hat-trick, but fell short.

Rizwan didn’t last long, as he edged Cummins for a six-run catch by wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and Cameron Green trapped Faheem Ashraf leg before for four the next over.

In contrast to Australia’s run-fest on a low-bouncing National Cricket Stadium pitch, Starc had Sajid caught behind, collecting 3-24 in 10 sharp overs as wickets dropped in a cluster.

Earlier, Pakistan’s opener Abdullah Shafique was run out for 13 runs as the team struggled to get off to a good start.

When Shafique was asked for a quick single following a stunning undefeated century in Rawalpindi, he failed to beat Swepson’s direct throw from point after making 13 of Pakistan’s 26-run opening stand.

Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan’s batting coach, admitted that two run outs early in the innings didn’t help matters.

“They got good momentum and after 20-25 overs they got reverse swing and their experienced bowlers made good use of that,” said Yousuf.

Cummins chose to bat on the third day, with Australia on 505-8.

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi struck with the second delivery of the day, catching Starc at cover by Azhar without adding to his overnight 28.

But that was their only success, as Cummins (34 not out) and Swepson (15) put up a quick 51 for the ninth wicket before declaring.

With 2-55 from 21 overs, all-rounder Ashraf was the standout of the attack, while off-spinner Sajid Khan took 2-167 from 57 overs.

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