Aussies fail to deal with spin as Pakistan records historic win

DUBAI: (Web Desk) – Pakistan recorded a historic 221 win over Australia today (Sunday) in Dubai as Kangaroos perish on 216 while pursuing target of 438 runs. Some quality spin bowling by Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah forced Aussies to lay arms when they had only scored a total of 216. Zulfiqar Babar claimed 5 wickets in the second innings while Yasir Shah took 4. 1 wicket was secured by debutant Imran Khan.

Pakistan remained on top throughout 5 days of the game except for the first few overs when they were 7 for 2 within first 4 overs of the match as the team lost both the openers Ahmad Shahzad and Mohammad Hafeez for 3 and 0 respectively. Azhar Ali and Younis Khan came in to save Pakistan from the crises situation and they did it brilliantly as Azhar struck an impressive 53 of 167 balls at a time when the team needed to stabilize while Younis Khan carried on along with skipper Misbahul Haq and scored his 25^th century equalizing great Inzamam-ul-Haq’s record of most Test centuries by a Pakistani, only to break it in the next innings.

it was Sarfaraz who became the highlight of first innings with his blistering 109 off 105 balls starred with 14 boundaries

Younis Khan lost his wicket to Australian pace ace Mitchell Johnson at 106. Misbah and Asad Shafiq then took the innings along and despite Misbah’s fall at 69, Asad Shafiq continued with his natural game along with Sarfaraz. But it was Sarfaraz who became the highlight of first innings with his blistering 109 off 105 balls starred with 14 boundaries. Yasir Shah (2), Rahat Ali (0), Imran Khan (0)* and Zulfiqar Babar, retired hurt at 7, could not add much to Pakistan’s total and all were out for 452 in the first innings.

Australia started off in style as Warner and Rogers remained unbeaten till the end of Day 2 and Australia had scored 117 runs without losing a wicket by the end of Day 2. However, Rahat Ali got Pakistan the breakthrough on 3^rd day and within next 90 runs Aussies had lost Doolan (5), Clarke (2), Smith (22) and Warner (133). Warner was undone by an absolute beauty by Yasir Shah that pitched way outside off stump and spun sharply into Warner knocking his stumps over. Warner scored 133 off 174 balls with the help of 2 sixes and 11 boundaries.

Haddin and Marsh tried to resurrect the falling Australian side but both fell after respectively scoring 22 and 27 runs. Mitchell Johnson scored 37 runs but Siddle (0), O’Keefe (6) didn’t help him much and eventually he himself perished at 37 on Rahat Ali’s ball. Australia was all out for 303 and trailed by 149 runs in the second innings. Yasir Shah got 3 wickets, Rahat Ali and Zulfiqar Babar got 2 each while Imran Khan and Mohammad Hafeez secured 1 wicket each.

Younis Khan came in at 71 for 1 and scored yet another century to break Inzamam’s record of most centuries by a Pakistani batsman in Tests, the record that he had equalized in the first innings. It was for the first time in 40 years that a batsman scored 2 centuries in 2 innings of a Test match against Australia.

Having their tails up with a massive lead, Pakistan started off its second innings with much more aggression. Azhar Ali opened along with Ahmad Shehzad because Hafeez had had his ankle twisted. He scored 30 runs but they were enough to give Pakistan a stable start. Younis Khan came in at 71 for 1 and scored yet another century to break Inzamam’s record of most centuries by a Pakistani batsman in Tests, the record that he had equalized in the first innings. It was for the first time in 40 years that a batsman scored 2 centuries in 2 innings of a Test match against Australia. Interestingly, Javed Miandad, Inzamam and Younis Khan all broke Pakistan’s most centuries’ record by scoring two centuries in the same test.

Ahmad Shehzad also scored century along with Younis. He got out after scoring 131 runs off 233 balls off O’Keefe’s bowling. Sarfaraz scored 15 runs and remained not out along with Younis Khan. Pakistan declared their innings at 286 for 2.

Australia came out to bat after Tea on 4^th day of the test with a massive total of 438 runs to chase. Rogers and Warner again got on to a good start but Pakistani spinners just fell upon Aussies to leave them gasping for some air at 49 for 4 at the end of 17^th while they were 44 for 0 at the beginning of 13^th. Zulfiqar Babar got Warner (29) and Doolan (0) in the 14^th over and Yasir Shah got skipper Clarke (3) and Lyon (0) both in the 17^th. At the end of Day 2, Ausstralia had lost 4 of its wickets and still needed only a little less than 400 runs on the 5^th and last day of the test. A victory was out of question but they could still have played for a draw on the decisive day of the test.

But the hope shattered as Rogers was squared up by Imran Khan’s speedy Yorker that swung in to the left-hander. He proved to be the last nail in the coffin as the Kangaroos found themselves almost lost at 92 for 5. Marsh didn’t take long either and was caught by Azhar Ali off Zulfiqar Babar’s ball on 3. Haddin was the next to go. He was bowled out by Zulfiqar Babar without adding anything on the scoreboard. Australia was 110 for 7 at Lunch and didn’t see any ray of hope of saving the Test.

Younis Khan was declared Man of the Match for his two centuries in the match. It was Misbahul Haq’s 13th Test victory as Captain of his 30 Test matches. Pakistan has lost 9 and drawn 8 under his captaincy so far.

Smith and Johnson put up a good fight on the 8^th wicket stand making a 65-run partnership but Smith fell prey to Yasir Shah’s brilliant bowling. Johnson and Siddle tried but it was too late already. Johnson scored 61 runs and made himself the highest scorer for Australia in the second innings before being stumped by Sarfaraz, standing behind the wickets, off Yasir Shah’s bowling. Siddle didn’t last long either and Australia was finally all out for 216, losing the first Test of the two-match series by 221 runs margin.

Younis Khan was declared Man of the Match for his two centuries in the match. It was Misbahul Haq’s 13th Test victory as Captain of his 30 Test matches. Pakistan has lost 9 and drawn 8 under his captaincy so far. An interesting comment of Cricinfo.com by a Pakistan fan read, “We lost 13 consecutive Test matches against them. Now we have won two in a row. Only 11 more to go!"