Australia bat against Pakistan in last test of series
Cricket
Earlier test matches played in Rawalpindi and Karachi remained undecided
LAHORE (AFP) - Pakistan pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets in three balls to rattle Australia at the start of third and deciding Test in Lahore before they recovered to 70-2 at lunch on Monday.
Shaheen had Australia in trouble at 8-2 in the third over of the innings when he trapped David Warner lbw and then had Marnus Labuschagne edge behind to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for a duck two balls later.
At the break, opener Usman Khawaja was on 31 and Steve Smith 28, having fought back with an unbroken third-wicket stand of 62 after Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat on a brownish Gaddafi Cricket Stadium pitch.
The 21-year-old Shaheen was fiery with the new ball, troubling the batsmen with skidding deliveries during an incisive five-over spell of two wickets for 17 runs.
Smith, who survived a confident leg-before appeal off Shaheen first ball, also saw spinner Nauman Ali fail to hold a hard catch when he was on 19.
Khawaja, slower off the mark, hit Nauman for a six to release the pressure.
The three-match series is tied at 0-0 after the Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi ended in draws.
Australia are unchanged from the second Test while Pakistan brought in fast bowler Naseem Shah for all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.
