Sports

Pakistan vs Australia: Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique hit hundred, Rawalpindi Test ends in dull draw

March 8, 2022
Bharat Times

The opening Test between Australia and Pakistan ended in a dull draw at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Both Pakistan openers Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique hit their respective centuries on Day 5.

Australia vs Pakistan opening Test in Rawalpindi ends in a dull draw (AP Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Pakistan vs Australia opening Test in Rawalpindi ended in dull draw
  • Both teams mutually agreed to end the game with an hour remaining
  • The second match of the three-Test series begins in Karachi on Saturday

Pakistan openers Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique hit their respective hundreds on Day 5 as Australia could take only four wickets on a dead pitch in the drawn first Test in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. The Pakistan Cricket Board missed the chance to make this historic Test a memorable one by preparing a docile pitch for the opening Test of the three-match series in Rawalpindi. Both teams mutually agreed to end the game with an hour remaining.

Pakistan vs Australia, 1st Test Day 5: As it happened

Replying to Pakistan’s first innings total of 476/4 declared, Australia were bowled out for 459 on the final day of the contest. Imam followed his 157 in the first innings total of 476/4 declared with an unbeaten 111 in his first Test since November 2019. Imam’s opening partner, Abdullah Shafique, also prospered to record his maiden test hundred and was unbeaten on 136 when Pakistan finished the fifth and final day on 252/0 in its second innings, leading by 269 runs.

Shafique and Imam also became the first Pakistan opening pair to share a century stand in each innings against Australia after combining for 105 runs in the first innings. It was a tough start for Australia to resume playing Test cricket in Pakistan after 24 years on a benign Pindi Cricket Stadium pitch which didn’t offer any lateral movement to the visitors’ three frontline pacers or turn to ace spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon bowled 78 overs and conceded 236 runs for the solitary wicket of Shafique in the first innings. Australia’s innings was wrapped up in the first four overs of the day when they were all out for 459 after resuming at 449/7. Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali took a career-best 6-107 on the grassless pitch to give Pakistan a 17-run, first-innings lead.

The second match of the three-Test series begins in Karachi on Saturday. Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in 24 years also includes three ODIs and a T20 International — all in Rawalpindi.