Usman Khawaja century as Australia draw with Pakistan in Dubai
Usman Khawaja's seventh Test century steered Australia to a remarkable turnaround draw with Pakistan in Dubai.
Day Five Report
Usman Khawaja's seventh Test century steered Australia to a remarkable turnaround draw with Pakistan in Dubai.
Khawaja's obdurate 141 helped the tourists scramble an unlikely draw, to send the two-match series into a deciding Test in Abu Dhabi.
The 31-year-old bettered his first-innings 85 with a defiant stand in the United Arab Emirates, as Australia frustrated a Pakistan side that had started the fifth and final day scenting victory.
Travis Head notched a maiden Test match half century in registering 72, while captain Tim Payne weighed in with a vital unbeaten 61 as Australia closed on 362 for eight to secure the draw.
Australia had been in serious trouble ever since losing all 10 first-innings wickets for just 60 runs, to slip from 142 without loss to 202 all out.
And the tourists had started day five entrenched in another rearguard action, chasing 462 for the unlikely victory at 136 for three in their second innings.
Pakistan had underscored their victory expectations with a second-innings declaration on 181 for six, and had ended day four seemingly in complete control.
For Khawaja to pull off his first Test century in Asia would have proved enough of a feat in itself then, but the Queensland batsman held his nerve long enough for the visitors to hold out for a share of the spoils.
Australia reached lunch without losing any wickets, with Head reaching that maiden Test milestone and Khawaja moving along tidily.
Pakistan forced the breakthrough with the very first ball after taking the new ball after the interval, with Head snared leg before by Mohammad Hafeez for 72.
Khawaja battled on meanwhile, reaching his century from 224 balls.
Marnus Labuschagne mustered 13 before being trapped leg before by Yasir Shah, with Australia reaching 289 for five at tea.
Shah then snaffled three quick wickets - Khawaja's departure leg before forcing a glut of dismissals.
Mitchell Starc was removed for one run with Babar Azam holding firm, before Siddle was trapped leg before by Shah to depart without score.
Skipper Payne kept his head however, with Nathan Lyon offering a stoic unbeaten five from 34 balls as Australia pulled off an impressive result.
Day Four Report
Mohammad Abbas took three wickets to keep Pakistan in control of the first Test as Australia finished day four needing 326 runs for victory.
Pakistan declared their second innings at 181 for six to set Australia a huge target of 462 to win in Dubai.
Resuming on Wednesday on 45 for three, Imam-ul-Haq (48) and Haris Sohail (39) missed out on half-centuries but their 65-run partnership hurt the Australians.
Imam was caught and bowled by Jon Holland before Sohail was an lbw victim of debutant Marnus Labuschagne. Nathan Lyon got Asad Shafiq, his 310th Test wicket seeing him join Brett Lee as the fifth leading wicket-taker for Australia in the long format of the game.
As soon as Shafiq was out, Pakistan declared. Chasing 462, Australia made a promising start as Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja made an 87-run partnership before Abbas got Finch lbw for 49.
Abbas struck again two balls later as Shaun Marsh was caught behind for a duck before Mitchell Marsh was out in the next over, trapped lbw without adding to the score.
Khawaja and Travis Head ensured Australia made it safely to stumps, finishing the day on 136 for three.
Day Three Report
Debutant Bilal Asif took six wickets as Pakistan tightened their grip on the Test series opener against Australia by ending day three with a 325-run lead.
Australia resumed on 30 without loss in Dubai but they offered little resistance once the opening partnership of 142 between Usman Khawaja (85) and debutant Aaron Finch (62) had been broken.
They lost their 10 wickets for the gain of just 60 runs and were all out for 202, with Asif doing the bulk of the damage during a superb spell of off-spin.
Finch was the first to fall, caught by Asad Shafiq off the bowling of Mohammad Abbas with the fourth ball of the 52nd over.
Test newcomer Asif then took centre stage, removing Shaun Marsh, Khawaja, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in quick succession - the latter pair for ducks - and later dismissing Australia captain Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon.
Abbas ended with four wickets having trapped Mitchell Marsh lbw, had Mitchell Starc caught by Sarfraz Ahmed for another duck and clean bowled Peter Siddle.
Pakistan, who were 482 all out in their first innings, then closed on 45 for three in their second.
Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali were removed by Jon Holland and Asif was out for a duck, caught by Head from a Lyon delivery, leaving Imam-ul-Haq unbeaten on 23.
Day Two Report
Haris Sohail hit his maiden Test century as Pakistan piled on the runs during the second day of their series opener against Australia in Dubai.
Sohail (110) put on 150 for the fifth wicket with Asad Shafiq (80) as Pakistan built on their solid first day to post 482 all out in the first innings of the two-Test series.
Peter Siddle did pick up a couple of wickets to finish with three for 58 but it was a long day of toil for Australia, who closed on 30 without loss in reply.
Sohail is still to establish himself in the side but he staked his claim for a permanent place with his runs coming from 240 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
He eventually fell to the spin of Nathan Lyon, who bowled 52 overs for his two for 114, while the part-time leg-spin of Marnus Labuschagne accounted for Shafiq.
Day One Report
Openers Mohammad Hafeez and Imam-ul-Haq batted Pakistan into a strong position after day one of the opening Test against Australia in Dubai.
Pakistan closed on 255 for three after making the Australians toil in their first Test outing since their controversy-hit tour to South Africa six months ago.
Australia lost that series 3-1 but made the headlines due to the ball-tampering scandal which saw Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft handed lengthy bans.
Returning to the Test arena at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, Australia captain Tim Paine lost the toss and saw Pakistan run up 205 for the first wicket - the country's fifth-best in Test history - as the returning Hafeez recorded his 10th Test century.
The partnership was finally broken just after tea when spinner Nathan Lyon had Imam caught behind for a Test-best 76, and Hafeez fell seven overs later for 126 when he was trapped lbw by Peter Siddle.
The 37-year-old all-rounder, whose previous Test appearance was over two years ago, had struck 15 fours in his 208-ball innings to ensure a tough start to the two-match series for the Australians in the Dubai heat.
The tourists made another breakthrough before stumps, however, with Jon Holland drawing a mis-hit drive from Azhar Ali (18) as Pakistan lost a third wicket in the final session to temper their progress slightly.
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