RAWALPINDI: Despite Nauman Ali taking four wickets on the fourth day of a rain-soaked encounter in Rawalpindi, Pakistan’s first home Test against Australia in nearly a quarter-century appeared to be heading for a draw.

Mitchell Starc was on 19 and skipper Pat Cummins was on four when play was called off with three overs remaining, with Australia just 27 runs behind Pakistan’s declared first innings total of 476-4.

Australia is visiting Pakistan for the first time since 1998, after previously refusing to visit due to security concerns.

Despite the fact that no rain is expected on Tuesday, the chances of a result in the first Test of the three-match series are slim, unless Pakistan’s batsmen collapse in the second innings on a surface that still appears to be full of runs.

The pitch at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has yielded 925 runs for just 13 wickets, and it is unlikely to create the spin required to deliver a result.

Despite this, Pakistan took five wickets on Monday, including Marnus Labuschagne (90) and veteran Steve Smith (78), with Nauman collecting 4-107 in 37 precise overs.

By getting Smith caught off a miscued sweep at leg slip by Iftikhar Ahmed, Nauman broke a stubborn fifth-wicket stand of 81 between Smith and Cameron Green (48).

In the first innings, Australia needed quick runs to get ahead, but they were shocked when Nauman dismissed Smith with a miscued sweep that clipped the gloves and landed in wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan’s safe hands.

Smith batted for five hours and two minutes, hitting eight boundaries.

In the dimming light, Alex Carey hit 19 before being dismissed by fast Naseem Shah.

Due to overnight rain, the stadium’s outfield was flooded, and the umpires finally allowed play to begin after lunch.

When Pakistan got the second new ball after 80 overs, Australia, who were 271-2 overnight, advanced to 288-2 — and were immediately rewarded.

Pacemaker with a left-arm Abdullah Shafique dived to his right in the slips after Shaheen Shah Afridi forced an edge from Labuschagne.

Labuschagne batted for 190 minutes and hit 12 boundaries.

Travis Head, who was named man-of-the-series in Australia’s 4-0 Ashes victory at home in January, struck two boundaries before being caught behind by Rizwan after misfiring a drive off spinner Nauman.

The other successful Pakistan bowlers were Shaheen (1-80), Naseem (1-89), and Sajid (1-122).

The series’ second and third Tests will be held in Karachi from March 12 to 16 and Lahore from March 21 to 25.

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