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Pakistan v Australia, first Test: Recap the action from day 3 in Rawalpindi

Australia mocked Pakistan’s first innings by bursting out of the blocks. But a bizarre shot saw an Aussie star fall in the 90s, before play ended early.

Peter LalorPeter Lalor
@plalor
6 min read
March 6, 2022 - 11:27PM
Pakistan’s off-spinner Sajid Khan dismisses Australian opener David Warner for 68 runs (from 114 balls) after lunch. Picture: Aamir QURESHI/AFP
Pakistan’s off-spinner Sajid Khan dismisses Australian opener David Warner for 68 runs (from 114 balls) after lunch. Picture: Aamir QURESHI/AFP

Australian openers raced out of the blocks on the third morning of the Rawalpindi Test match, mocking the slow scoring rate of Pakistan on the first two days.

The veterans raced to 138 at the first break, moving along at over four runs an over before David Warner (68) was dismissed after lunch with the score at 156.

Re-cap all the action from Day 3 in our blog below

Usman Khawaja was then dismissed on 97 by spinner Nauman Ali – attempting a reverse sweep – looking for the three runs that would have brought up a symbolic century for the left-hander, who was born down the road in Islamabad.

Bad light stopped play with 20 overs remaining. Australia was 2-271 with Marnus Labuschagne on 69 and Steve Smith 24.

Usman Khawaja and David Warner burst out of the blocks. Picture: AFP
Usman Khawaja and David Warner burst out of the blocks. Picture: AFP

Khawaja set the early pace, flicking the quicks Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi off his pads, but Warner soon caught up, bridging the gap with a pair of powerful cut shots through point off Shah’s bowling.

When the spinners came on, his childhood friend pulled out the party tricks. He danced down the pitch and hit Sajid Khan over his head for four, employing the reverse sweep with aplomb and the more orthodox one with authority. Khawaja brought up his half century from 67 balls, Warner from 86.

The pair have not had so much fun since they were kids playing for Randwick Petersham in the suburbs of Sydney.

Labuschagne indicated after play on day two that Australia could create a chance of winning this game if they batted once and batted big.

Warner and Khawaja have made the first step in that journey but there is a long way to go.

However, seeing as the bowlers have taken just five wickets – plus a run out – in nine sessions, any victory looks doubtful.

Marnus Labuschagne plays a reverse sweep, which was Usman Khawaja’s downfall. Picture: AFP
Marnus Labuschagne plays a reverse sweep, which was Usman Khawaja’s downfall. Picture: AFP

Australia’s rapid progress drives home the impression that Pakistan were too cautious and further emphasises the curious lack of acceleration before the declaration, especially given they were only four wickets down.

Warner’s extraordinary exchange with a fired-up young quick Shah on the third morning is further proof that this Australian side has cast off its old ways and embraced a new image.

Shah’s eyes were spinning after he hit the opener with a hostile bouncer, the bowler stupidly getting in the opener’s face.

Warner did not take a backward step, indeed he advanced but with a smile on his face and an instruction for the quick to get back to his mark and do his job.

When Shah hit him in the midriff with the next delivery, the opener bent over, politely handed the ball back to the bowler and gave him a little pat on the back.

Warner was dismissed attempting to cut Sajid off his stumps on 68.

The 156-run opening partnership by the veteran pair is the second highest for Australia in Pakistan since Mark Taylor and Michael Slater scored 176 at the same venue in 1994.


Australia 2-271 (Marnus Labuschagne 69* and Steve Smith 24*) after 73 overs trail Pakistan 4-476 by 205 runs at Stumps on Day 3.

ROLLING UPDATES

— Lachlan McKirdy and Jocelyn Airth

9:50PM: Players have come from the field due to poor light in Rawalpindi. There’s still an hour of play remaining, but the heavy cloud cover looks like it’s here to stay.

9:20PM: Marnus Labuschagne notches a half-century. Wind has picked up as Australia sits on 245/2 and trail by 231 runs.

TEA 8:45PM: Australia are 222/2 and trail by 254 runs as players head for tea. Pakistan will be relieved to have taken the wickets of David Warner and Usman Khawaja, but they’ve still got plenty of work to do.

8:30PM: Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are trying to settle. Nauman Ali keeps threatening – the bowler is currently sitting on figures of 1-32 from 9 overs.

Australia are 214/2 and trail Pakistan by 261-runs.

Marnus Labuschagne plays a shot during the third day of the first Test against Pakistan. Picture: Aamir QURESHI /AFP
Marnus Labuschagne plays a shot during the third day of the first Test against Pakistan. Picture: Aamir QURESHI /AFP

8:10PM: WICKET! Usman Khawaja has been dismissed, just three runs short of reaching a century. Pakistan’s Nauman Ali delivered a bit of spin and tempted Khawaja to go for a reverse sweep. But, the ball ricocheted off the Aussie’s glove and Imam-ul-Haq took a spectacular catch at short leg.

An unfortunate end to a brilliant innings by Khawaja. He, like Warner, will be frustrated with his dismissal.

Steve Smith has now stepped up to the crease.

7:15PM: WICKET! Off-spinner Sajid Kahn finally breaks through – and he takes the big wicket of David Warner. The Aussie batter produced a strong innings with 68 runs (from 114 balls) and snatched twelve 4s.

Khawaja and Warner’s partnership ends at 156-runs – marking just the second time since 2016 that Australian openers have combined to score 100+ runs away from home.

Sajid Khan has been threatening all day – varying pace and luring the Aussies forward. The bowler sits on figures of 1-48 from 17 overs.

Marnus Labuschagne now steps up to the crease.

LUNCH 6PM: Game on. Australia has made it through the first session on day three without dropping a wicket.

After a tentative start, Usman Khawaja 70* and David Warner 60* have built a strong partnership to keep Australia in the first Test. The teammates, who played junior cricket together in Sydney, scored 138 runs from 31 overs before play stopped for lunch. Both batters celebrated half-centuries and appear comfortable at the crease.

Pakistan will no doubt be ruing a missed opportunity to dismiss Khawaja for 22 early in the day. The home side will be looking break through ASAP and slow the Aussies’ run-rate.

Australia trail by 338-runs and have 10 wickets remaining.

Usman Khawajaand David Warner both scored half-centuries on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan. Picture: Farooq NAEEM/AFP
Usman Khawajaand David Warner both scored half-centuries on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan. Picture: Farooq NAEEM/AFP

5:50PM: Now it’s Warner’s turn to celebrate a half-century. The Australian batter has clocked nine 4s and is looking more dangerous as time goes by.

Khawaja and Warner are building a strong partnership. The pair have put 128-runs on the board for their country and both look confident against Pakistan’s bowling attack.

5:25PM: Pakistan fans applaud Usman Khawaja for reaching a half-century. The Australian has strung together an outstanding innings so far – whacking eight 4s and recovering well after being dropped early on.

5:10PM: Play resumes after a brief break, as match officials inspect the pitch. Australia sits at 0-56 and trails by 420 runs.

The Australian openers appear to be slowly setting in. Khawaja is executing some beautiful pull shots and looks unfazed by the earlier drop catch. Warner is now finding the boundary.

Pakistan’s fast bowlers are forcing the Aussies to play. Naseem is absolutely peppering Warner with short balls, but the veteran batter seems to be embracing the aggression.

4:30PM: Khawaja dropped! Shaheen created the perfect chance to dismiss the Australian opener, but Fawad Alam missed a strait-forward catch in gully. Will Pakistan rue that missed opportunity? To add insult to injury, Khawaja lashes the next two deliveries for 4.

3:50PM: Naseem Shah took the ball for the first over for Pakistan, as Usman Khawaja and David Warner look to get Australia back in the contest. The Aussies continue their innings at 5/0, trailing by 471.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is piling all sorts of pressure onto the Aussies. Both Warner and Khawaja survived close calls during the opening overs.

MATCH SITUATION

Usman Khawaja and David Warner will both get their first chance at batting in Pakistan on day three after surviving their solitary over on Saturday, saved by bad light.

Khawaja averages 31.90 playing in Asia and on his most recent tour, against Pakistan in the U.A. E in 2018, he has probably the finest innings of his Test career, a wonderful 141 off 302 balls in the final innings to save the match. He’ll want to produce something similar today in the venue so close to the town where he was born.

David Warner wasn’t part of that tour but he also has good memories of his last tour in Asia. Against Bangladesh in 2017, Warner scored centuries in consecutive matches.

DAY 2 STUMPS: Australia 0-5 (Khawaja 5*, Warner 0*) after 1 over trails Pakistan 4-476d by 471 runs

SHANE WARNE COVERAGE

Follow CODE Sports for continued coverage of the tragic death of Australian cricket legend, Shane Warne.

FROM THE GROUND

Peter Lalor from Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

News Corp’s Pete Lalor is in Pakistan covering the Test and the reaction to Shane Warne’s tragic passing.

TEAMS

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The match: Pakistan vs Australia, first Test at Rawalpindi, March 4-8. First ball on March 6 (Sunday) will be 3.50pm AEDT (9:50am local) after bad light stopped play early on day two.

How to watch: Watch the match live on Fox Sports or stream on Kayo Sports

How to listen: SEN will be providing ball by ball for the entirety of the series.

Online coverage: Follow the match right here or join our match centre.

Time difference: Pakistan is six hours behind AEDT, five and a half behind ACDT, five behind AEST and three behind AWST.

Originally published as Pakistan v Australia, first Test: Recap the action from day 3 in Rawalpindi

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/pakistan-v-australia-first-test-live-updates-from-day-3-in-rawalpindi/news-story/27be6a7440d9659f29da33e8eb5b69b6