The Australians had a sigh of relief as they managed to end the 1st Test against Pakistan in a draw with just 2 wickets in hands, on Thursday in Dubai. Chasing a mammoth target of 462 runs, Usman Khwaja laid a strong foundation with his 141-run knock which was later supported by Travis Head (72). But finally, it was skipper Tim Paine’s unbeaten 61 that hit the last nail in the coffin to save the match in the final over.
The Aussies showcased utmost character with the bat, especially after the departure of Marsh brothers on a duck. But the way Pakistan proved their mettle across all departments was commendable. Bowlers Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas and Bilal Asif scalped most of the Australian wickets but a stunning blinder grabbed by Babar Azam in fourth innings stole the show.
The incident happened in the first ball of the 128th over of when Mitchell Starc had the strike. Shah bowled a length delivery which forced Starc to back deep in the crease and nudge with hard hands. The ball went up in the air while Babar Azam made no mistake in taking that catch at the silly point.
Here’s the video:
2 balls later, Shah removed Peter Siddle and the Aussies were reduced to 333/8. But a patient 29-run partnership between Paine and Nathan Lyon sailed the ship safely to the shore.