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Australia reach Stumps on Day 3 at 81/1, a lead of 489 in the 2nd Test vs Pakistan

Might as well pack up and leave, the next 2 days will be a procession.
 
Lol Hassan celebrating like we will win this Test

This pakistan team is decades behind the champion teams of world cricket
 
wickets and run here are just irrelevant. Its more about prolonging the game and not disturbing the surface a lot.
 
Negative in bowling?

Yes. It's about protecting the pitch from more wear and tear. Even if we get Australia out for 100, the target we have to chase will be 500.

Runs are inconsequential now, just prolong the match as much as it's possible. We have to bat five/six sessions to save this match, win is out of the question.
 
Not enough pace to trouble these batsmen even though the swing is there
 
Lol Hassan celebrating like we will win this Test

This pakistan team is decades behind the champion teams of world cricket

They are not that bad, they deserve this for preparing such horrible wickets tbh they have lacked confidence in their abilities at home and the game-plan, preparation and work load management could have been better, look what you’ve done to Australia before in asian like conditions. It will be a big missed chance from a WTC POV.
 
The australian team have arrived here for the first time in 24 years, lets give them something to celebrate about.
 
They should just get the part timers to bowl, likes of baber azam, etc. Its obvious its not about wickets anymore......do what they do in county cricket in the second innnigs, just send in bowlers to bowl their pies.
 
They should just get the part timers to bowl, likes of baber azam, etc. Its obvious its not about wickets anymore......do what they do in county cricket in the second innnigs, just send in bowlers to bowl their pies.

Australia would like that, they can score runs quicker and have more time to bowl out Pak.
 
Aus quicks looked threatening and had a plan to take wickets. However, again Pak quicks are bowling with no intent.
 
Sajid has been garbage in both tests needs to be dropped.
 
Khawaja alone has scored 30-odd more runs than Pakistan in this match.
 
This is a massacre, Lord have mercy.

Pray for the shifa of Pakistan cricket.
 
Australians are making the most of the new ball by scoring quick fast runs ie run rate of 5 runs per over before the ball gets older and starts to aid reverse swing, spin making quick run scoring difficult.

Massive gulf bw the two teams in all departments in this test match including mentality
 
Australians are making the most of the new ball by scoring quick fast runs ie run rate of 5 runs per over before the ball gets older and starts to aid reverse swing, spin making quick run scoring difficult.

Massive gulf bw the two teams in all departments in this test match including mentality

I think we can safely conclude that Aus prepared better than Pak for this match. Its criminal that Babar took Shaheen off and brought spinners with negative lines when bowl started to reverse in first innings. Poor captaincy and defensive tactics costed Pak this test match.
 
Australians are making the most of the new ball by scoring quick fast runs ie run rate of 5 runs per over before the ball gets older and starts to aid reverse swing, spin making quick run scoring difficult.

Massive gulf bw the two teams in all departments in this test match including mentality

Runs don't really matter for either of the teams. It is all about time. Aus bowlers will come back fresh tomorrow morning and have a go at the pakistani batsmen. It will a test of character for Babar and company. Looking forward to it.
 
I can hear spectators in Karachi stadium talking

But not Rizwan behind the stumps! And this is the leader you guys want???!
 
I think we can safely conclude that Aus prepared better than Pak for this match. Its criminal that Babar took Shaheen off and brought spinners with negative lines when bowl started to reverse in first innings. Poor captaincy and defensive tactics costed Pak this test match.

Too much blame being given to Babar. Shaheen has had a poor match, Starc has shown him how to get wickets on this pitch.
 
You can’t produce rank turners if your keeper is going to fluff any chances that are produced!
 
The media team made a package of Steve Smith’s drops in this test

Why do they not do the same for Rizwan I wonder? He is so protected by the PCB!
 
You can’t produce rank turners if your keeper is going to fluff any chances that are produced!

We have Pant we are still preparing rank turners in India. When NZ make us play in gardens in NZ, why shouldn't we return the favor? Pak should have prepared turners and won this test series comfortably. I think Pak got too much into "mehman-nawaji" and didn't wanted to offend Aussies.
 
Azhar Ali masterclass requires in the second innings hopefully the best batsman in the last 2 years stands up in the second innings great players rise to this kind of occasion.

:azhar
 
Interesting how pressure changes approach.
Aussies scored at RR of 2.5 in first inning. Now they have plenty on score card and toying with Pak bowlers at RR of 5 due to no pressure.
 
Well, that was a pretty humiliating and pathetic day of Test cricket from Pakistan. Thank God it's over.
 
Azhar Ali masterclass requires in the second innings hopefully the best batsman in the last 2 years stands up in the second innings great players rise to this kind of occasion.

:azhar

The only thing that will rising is the umpire’s finger.
 
We have Pant we are still preparing rank turners in India. When NZ make us play in gardens in NZ, why shouldn't we return the favor? Pak should have prepared turners and won this test series comfortably. I think Pak got too much into "mehman-nawaji" and didn't wanted to offend Aussies.

Rank turners would go against Pakistan. They don't have good spinners.

They are actually better off preparing greentops and letting Shaheen Afridi run riot with the ball. A quick 3-4 wickets at the beginning of the innings will put any batting side on the defensive.
 
Extremely poor cricket from Pakistan. Australia setting themselves up for a very big win. 4 sessions are more than enough to bowl out Pakistan.
 
The Pakistan management must come up with a plan for Usman Khwaja. He is capable of winning the series for Australia all by himself.
 
Well looks like my prediction of Pakistan taking the test series turned out to be spectacularly wrong.

I had a gut feeling Shaheen Shah Afridi was an avg bowler, now it is more convincing.. How the mighty have fallen, missing those days when fast bowlers would fall down from a tree like an apple in Pakistan...
 
This is humiliation on the cards for the following reasons

- keeping Azhar ali in the team
- thinking Hassan ali is in form
- not giving shaheen Afridi a break from cricket
- giving captaincy to babar Azam who is extremely timid and clueless
- not having a proper bowling coach before series began
- thinking that Faheem ashraf is the best all rounder pakistan have
- not playing an in-form leg spinner : Shadab khan
- not playing naseem shah on this pitch
 
Pakistan v Australia | 2nd Test | 12-16 March, 2022 | Karachi | Day 3

Despite the contrary opinion at home, and also by some on social media, I stuck my neck out and claimed that a flat track does not automatically mean that this Pakistan batting line-up will draw the match, even when they're batting second against a huge trail of run, and it proved to be so in the end. Pakistan doesn't have those big century-makers who look least bothered by a trail of 400 or 500 and just bat on by getting their head on. These bunch of batsmen will succumb to scoreboard pressure most of the times, regardless of how flat or lifeless the pitch is. Therefore, my take was that Australia were being very smart when they just safely looked for a huge score, instead of adopting any aggressive approach, despite the criticism that they faced for slow batting.

However, the decision not to enforce the follow-on hasn't made any sense to me. 408 isn't a first innings lead, it is a whole fourth innings target, for God's sake!
 
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What Pak should ponder is how did Aus get it to reverse from about 25 overs onwards and why do your guys not getting similar reverse? and you cannot simply have two runouts in a test match....thats pathetic.
I must say i was gobsmacked when Pat cummins did not declare late last evening but they've made it up with this fiery spell of reverse and good fielding. But surely, not enforcing follow on when you have only bowled 60 overs odd is again leaving the door open. It will be a massive day of intrigue tommorow.
 
Babar azam, a hall mark of pathetic small mentality and weak personality of losers, is responsible for current situation. Remember guys, he picks his own team. I hate this selfish player. I know these are harsh words but I have found him time and again selfish. There is no plan. During field, before new ball, he and team bowled negatively on leg stump which was criticized by commentators. Look at auusies. They know their business. Ours are only comfortable against zimbawe type countries
 
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Babar Azam went with orthodox aged set of losers. Where is the first class talent? Our first class team would have performed better than this joke of a team and captain. He was the reason for Karachi kings and our current predicament.
 
What Pak should ponder is how did Aus get it to reverse from about 25 overs onwards and why do your guys not getting similar reverse? and you cannot simply have two runouts in a test match....thats pathetic.
I must say i was gobsmacked when Pat cummins did not declare late last evening but they've made it up with this fiery spell of reverse and good fielding. But surely, not enforcing follow on when you have only bowled 60 overs odd is again leaving the door open. It will be a massive day of intrigue tommorow.

Yes they only bowled 53 overs but if Pak (which they should) bat a bit better in the second dig (Aus will have about 150 overs to play with) then Pak might bat for 100 overs coupled with the 53 makes it 153 overs without a break. Aus bowlers are resting and Pak batsmen are chasing leather.
 
PCB should make Rizwan captain. He has better personality. I have seen how Babar treats Rizwan like he is some sub human. I remember in recent world cup, when Rizwan after playing all the innings against India, was treated like crap. I would not discount vindictive and small mindset of Babar of his psl loss overshadowing what is required in the game.
 
PCB should make Rizwan captain. He has better personality. I have seen how Babar treats Rizwan like he is some sub human. I remember in recent world cup, when Rizwan after playing all the innings against India, was treated like crap. I would not discount vindictive and small mindset of Babar of his psl loss overshadowing what is required in the game.

Even Rizwan is not Test captain material.
We just dont have any Test leader since this team’s fame is built from T20 cricket.
They lack the mindset of Test team, they will win matches here and there but will always be ranked 5-6-7th positions.
 
Test cricket is about mental strength. Pakistan will have to bat 168 overs to save the test. As i think Aussies will bat 10 overs in morning. They will add 40-50 and set up 550 to win in 168 overs
With option of 3 new balls available.

Imam and Shafique needs to take a leaf from previous test when they were 252-0 in 2nd in innings.
I still think this pitch will never Turn square.
Pak needs to not to give up.
 
Yes they only bowled 53 overs but if Pak (which they should) bat a bit better in the second dig (Aus will have about 150 overs to play with) then Pak might bat for 100 overs coupled with the 53 makes it 153 overs without a break. Aus bowlers are resting and Pak batsmen are chasing leather.

Hmm, valid point that and also considering the next test will follow soon, they donot want to increase the workload. I dont think there's much of a gap in between.
I must say am mighty impressed with Cameron Green as a gully fieldsman and especially gully catcher. In the India series in 2020-21 he took some blinders. After Roger Harper i guess we are seeing somehing special here as a specialist gully fielder.
 
Yes. It's about protecting the pitch from more wear and tear. Even if we get Australia out for 100, the target we have to chase will be 500.

Runs are inconsequential now, just prolong the match as much as it's possible. We have to bat five/six sessions to save this match, win is out of the question.

Still dreaming to get Australia out for 100 lol. Time to accept the fact its a minnow team.
 
PCB should make Rizwan captain. He has better personality. I have seen how Babar treats Rizwan like he is some sub human. I remember in recent world cup, when Rizwan after playing all the innings against India, was treated like crap. I would not discount vindictive and small mindset of Babar of his psl loss overshadowing what is required in the game.


He doesn’t score enough runs lately to put himself up there as first name in the team sheet.
 
Well looks like my prediction of Pakistan taking the test series turned out to be spectacularly wrong.

I had a gut feeling Shaheen Shah Afridi was an avg bowler, now it is more convincing.. How the mighty have fallen, missing those days when fast bowlers would fall down from a tree like an apple in Pakistan...

I honestly think he’s above average but its a lot to put on the shoulders of a 21 year old without much backup or support.

Problem is Pakistani supporters hype up everybody and their dog to the moon.
 
PCB should make Rizwan captain. He has better personality. I have seen how Babar treats Rizwan like he is some sub human. I remember in recent world cup, when Rizwan after playing all the innings against India, was treated like crap. I would not discount vindictive and small mindset of Babar of his psl loss overshadowing what is required in the game.

I also want Rizwan as the Pakistan captain. I believe he will be much more aggressive and tactically sound than Babar.
 
Dominant Australia strengthen grip on Karachi Test

It was Australia's day in Karachi as their bowlers helped them wrest control with a disciplined performance before Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja extended their lead to 489.

Australia resumed the day on 505/8, adding some valuable runs in the first half-hour of the morning session before declaring on 556/9, courtesy of skipper Pat Cummins and debutant Mitchell Swepson's unbeatable 51-run last-wicket partnership.

Earlier, Mitchell Starc failed to add to his handy knock of 28 as he was dismissed to the second ball of the day by Shaheen Afridi. Debutant Swepson came out to bat joining skipper Cummins at the crease, and the two batters continued to punish the Pakistani bowlers, with Cummins occasionally smashing the spinners for big sixes.

Swepson in his debut innings played a crucial knock of 15* as he made sure Australia didn't lose the final wicket, while Cummins from the other end played an impressive 35* that included three sixes before declaring.

Pakistan’s response to the mammoth total of Australia got off to a shaky start. They lost their openers early, allowing the visitors to completely take control of the game.

Both Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, who made brilliant centuries in Rawalpindi Test, took their time to set their eyes in the middle.

Starc, in absence of his regular partner, Josh Hazlewood, started the opening spell with skipper Pat Cummins. Starc looked in a good rhythm and bowled some tight lengths to keep the Pakistani batters under control. Despite that, Imam and Shafique made it through the important first half-hour and had successfully navigated through the Australian pacers' first stint.

They appeared to be on track for a fine opening partnership, but in the 14th over, the openers attempted a risky single, and a direct hit from debutant Swepson, standing at backward point, was enough to send Shafique back to the pavilion for 13. Experienced Azhar Ali came out to bat, and he ensured Pakistan did not lose any more wickets in the morning session as they went to lunch at 38/1, with Imam on 20* and Azhar on 13*.

Early in the second session, Imam played a risky shot and made an early exit. He went down the track against Nathan Lyon and ended up giving a catch straight into the hands of Cummins at mid-on. Azhar had got the afternoon session underway with a six, but a fuller-length delivery from Starc got the better of him, as the chip drive from Azhar went straight into the hands of the slip fielder, dismissing him on 14.

Fawad Alam followed Azhar back to the pavilion from the very next ball without bothering the scoreboard, as Starc reduced Pakistan to 60/4. New batter Mohammad Rizwan didn't stick around long either. After being dropped by Smith in the slips, Cummins once again managed to get the outside the edge of his bat and this time wicketkeeper Alex Carey safely collected it to dismiss Rizwan on 6.

After losing half of their side on 76, Pakistan's hopes of putting up a formidable response were completely shattered. On a pitch where the Australian batters dominated in the first innings, the Pakistan batters suffered in the afternoon session, with Starc and Cummins assisted by a lot of reverse swing.

While Pakistan's batters continued to lose their wickets from one end, skipper Babar Azam stood firm on the other end. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf also lost his wicket early as Cameron Green trapped him in front of the wickets. Starc added one more to his bag when he dismissed Sajid Khan on 5 and Pakistan went for Tea at 100/7, with skipper Azam unbeaten on 29.

Pakistan continued to lose wickets as the final session of the day began. Poor running between the wickets from Hasan Ali saw him going back to the pavilion, as Labuschagne at covers managed to hit the stumps at the striker's end. Babar (36) also couldn't resist long as he tried to launch over long-on and ended up giving a catch straight into the hands of Khawaja, becoming the first scalp of debutant Swepson.

With a flurry of boundaries, Shaheen and Nauman Ali added some critical runs for their team, but Swepson came up with another wicket as he dismissed Shaheen on 19, ending Pakistan's first innings on 148.

Australia skipper Cummins decided against enforcing a follow-on, giving some rest to his bowlers.

The visitors lost David Warner early, with Alam completing a good catch to send him back in the sixth over for 7. However, Marnus Labuschagne joined Khawaja in the middle, and the duo took their side to stumps on 81/1, with a solid lead of 489.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2533712
 
wow just wow

lol

bowled out like this
what a joke

like i said the odis will be a whitewash unless ausssies give us a free win for the great service they have received in pak

embarrassing
 
Now Mr. PCB will make rank turners for 3rd test and Pak will lose that too like this. :asif

Too Late there is no enough gap between tests. Lahore tradationally is flat. Even here there are no demons in the wicket it was just their pacers who are supreme got reverse. Second innings we must fight simple unfortunately two days left is too much
 
the true test for Pakistani batters. if they could draw this or at least take to the last session of fifth day ...
 
Very surprised Aus batted again

Pak must use this to escape with a draw and have a turner in the decider.
 
Fall of Pakistan wickets

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Cummins’ Australians do a Pakistan on Pakistan
During the interminable Rawalpindi Test match, Waqar Younis conveyed a story that spoke much about how Pakistan operated at their best in his time.

The wily leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed used to curse Waqar and Wasim Akram in the field, not without reason. The moment Mushtaq’s wrist spin claimed a wicket, the pacemen would be called in to wreak havoc on new batters with reverse swing.

Years later in the commentary box at his nation’s former fortress in Karachi’s National Stadium, Waqar would not have totally enjoyed the passage of day three.

But he could not have denied the familiarity of proceedings: catalysed by the debutant Mitchell Swepson and Nathan Lyon, then capitalised by Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green and the captain Pat Cummins, Australia inflicted a Pakistan on their hosts.

To this point in the series, Pakistani hospitality had been as expansive off the field as it was minimal in the middle. Playing an attritional brand of the game in Rawalpindi and on the first two days in Karachi, they had not just denied wickets to the tourists but also kept their scoring to comfortably fewer than three an over.

At length, Cummins and his team resolved to give away as little as they were receiving, and stretched an uninterrupted Australian first innings into the third morning of a Test for the first time since 1993 in England. Allan Border did it twice on that trip, amid nascent talk of mental disintegration and a 4-0 margin.

Back then, Shane Warne and Tim May were getting established as the “spin twins” marshalled by Border and then Mark Taylor. This time, Australia broke with more than a decade of convention to pick a wrist spinner – Swepson – alongside Lyon and ahead of Josh Hazlewood.

There will be those who look at a scorecard providing bare basics and assert that Swepson’s inclusion made no difference to the outcome. That Hazlewood might also have moved the old ball and that a second spin bowler was a luxury not affordable in these tough economic times.

But such conclusions would miss the skittish footwork Swepson’s introduction drew from Imam-ul-Haq before lunch, as the wrist spinner threatened footmarks that were too wide for Lyon. It was a testament to his eagerness for involvement that Swepson swooped from backward point to throw out Abdullah Shafique before lunch, his arm still warm from over No.1 in Test cricket.

Leg spin had, one way or another, changed the balance in the way that Warne had done for 15 wondrous years, and the hectic passages in early afternoon underlined the point. Knowing that he would eventually be challenged by Swepson out of the rough, Imam miscalculated to Lyon and punched to an exultant Cummins at mid on.

The reversing ball was, as predicted before the series, a variable that both sides needed to make the most of whenever it presented. Cummins, alert to its possibilities, responded to a hint of swing at his end by immediately recalling Starc in place of Lyon.

This was the moment Mushtaq used to abhor, all his hard work amounting to little as Waqar and Wasim reclaimed the ball. Osman Samiuddin, author of a most evocative history of Pakistan cricket, has called it the state of “haal”, a heightened point of consciousness at which team and individuals coalesce to overwhelm the opposition, often from nowhere.

In the same article, Waqar tried to articulate it: “Sometimes in any game when the momentum goes to the other side, the fielding side becomes a bit flat. But we knew, back of our minds, every guy, that there is an opportunity. Suddenly, jaan aajati he [you become alive]. When you have match-winners, when your bowler senses something, then your fielders pick up on it, they go along with them, you can see, you can see it in the eyes.“

Australian eyes were sharpened for wickets by the sight of the reversing ball.

Azhar Ali was taken at second slip by Cameron Green, the sort of quicksilver chance that is only held if you are expecting and anticipating, rather than hoping for, a catch. Fawad Alam was crooked and late on fierce inswing. Mohammad Rizwan, dropped by Steve Smith at a forward first slip, offered a second edge to Alex Carey. Faheem Ashraf was pinned from around the wicket by Green.

Six Pakistani wickets fell for 55 runs, after four fell for 726 runs a week ago. In the series aggregates this will look like an accounting error – the sort of expenses claim that requires further explanation.

At once this was a summary of how Pakistan play the game at their best but also how Australia, through sound research and planning, had expected things to evolve. They knew, based on history and psychology, that one team would have to crack at some point over three Tests. They resolved, after the team’s leaders pushed hard for a change of head coach and a less febrile team environment, that it was not going to be them.

Once the day’s pivotal passages had taken place, and only remnants of the Pakistan innings remained, Swepson and Lyon returned to the bowling crease, an opportunity not always afforded Mushtaq.

Here Australia’s decision-makers got a glimpse of Swepson’s possibilities. His first ball of a spell looped, drifted and dropped on Babar Azam, coaxing a skier held exultantly by Usman Khawaja. Not too long later, Shaheen Afridi was beaten by a sharply spinning leg break, then a well-pitched wrong’un, then given lbw on the sweep.

Swepson and Lyon walked off with 3-45 between them. They had played vital roles in the day that tilted this series, as Australia played and beat Pakistan at the tempo game they have made their own for decades.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...o-a-pakistan-on-pakistan-20220314-p5a4mx.html
 
Mohammad Yousuf speaking to the press:

"Its easy for someone like me sitting outside of the field to tell the batters to play in a certain way but the fact is that its a tough job to face quality bowlers like Cummins and Starc who bowled exceptionally well today"

"However, I am hopeful that if we try hard, we can bat session to session and just like in the first Test where we batted for 2 days, we can take the game to the end and put up a good fight"

"The run out gave Australia some momentum and with the sort of experience they have at their disposal, they bowled in the right areas; We have seen such great spells of bowling in our times too, where big teams would have problems when faced by the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar"

"Imam also made runs in the game before where he came out of the crease and used his feet and was very successful then, even in this game he hit a six and one or two 4s like like that; This is his strength and I feel a player scores runs and also can get out when he plays like that; This is how we used to play as well, where we would score runs and get out when playing to our strengths"
 
Mohammad Yousuf speaking to the press:

"Its easy for someone like me sitting outside of the field to tell the batters to play in a certain way but the fact is that its a tough job to face quality bowlers like Cummins and Starc who bowled exceptionally well today"

"However, I am hopeful that if we try hard, we can bat session to session and just like in the first Test where we batted for 2 days, we can take the game to the end and put up a good fight"

"The run out gave Australia some momentum and with the sort of experience they have at their disposal, they bowled in the right areas; We have seen such great spells of bowling in our times too, where big teams would have problems when faced by the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar"

"Imam also made runs in the game before where he came out of the crease and used his feet and was very successful then, even in this game he hit a six and one or two 4s like like that; This is his strength and I feel a player scores runs and also can get out when he plays like that; This is how we used to play as well, where we would score runs and get out when playing to our strengths"

But MoYo himself did that for years and years sitting on tv channels?
 
Mohammad Yousuf speaking to the press:

"Its easy for someone like me sitting outside of the field to tell the batters to play in a certain way but the fact is that its a tough job to face quality bowlers like Cummins and Starc who bowled exceptionally well today"

"However, I am hopeful that if we try hard, we can bat session to session and just like in the first Test where we batted for 2 days, we can take the game to the end and put up a good fight"

"The run out gave Australia some momentum and with the sort of experience they have at their disposal, they bowled in the right areas; We have seen such great spells of bowling in our times too, where big teams would have problems when faced by the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar"

"Imam also made runs in the game before where he came out of the crease and used his feet and was very successful then, even in this game he hit a six and one or two 4s like like that; This is his strength and I feel a player scores runs and also can get out when he plays like that; This is how we used to play as well, where we would score runs and get out when playing to our strengths"

Why do Pak ex players always have to bring "Hamare zamane mein, hum ye karte the blah blah" in accessing any performance. It sounds narcissistic and arrogant. Listening to them, you get the impression that they used to whitewash Australia and all teams all the time when they used to play.
 
There was much more in the pitch and conditions than it looked like when Pakistan were bowling. Only Shaheen looks Test standard as a bowler and even he didn't bowl well. The Australian bowlers showed how it was to be done.
 
The most disappointing thing about today's play was that at least 6 or 7 of the Pakistani wickets were freebies - nicely gift-wrapped for the visitors.
 
Very surprised Aus batted again

Pak must use this to escape with a draw and have a turner in the decider.
Yes. This is an error if judgement they've made and it'll cost them the win. Don't think the pitch will break considerably and batting 150 overs on this wicket with a set mind is slightly easier than forcing play.
 
The most disappointing thing about today's play was that at least 6 or 7 of the Pakistani wickets were freebies - nicely gift-wrapped for the visitors.

All 10 were gift wrapped, not a single player got out to a good ball. 3 run outs aswell which id school boy stuff.
 
Yes. This is an error if judgement they've made and it'll cost them the win. Don't think the pitch will break considerably and batting 150 overs on this wicket with a set mind is slightly easier than forcing play.

Pakistan aint batting over 100 overs in last inns, never mind 150. This isnt a dead road like we got in pindi. The ball will reverse again, plus cracks on pitch will allow for more turn and uneven bounce.
 
After their stellar performance over the last three days, Aus deserve to win this test. Expecting an engaging contest over the next two days although I will be surprised if this game goes into the fifth day. Aus batted patiently and posted a huge total and then dismissed Pakistan for a meagre total so I don't see any issue with the Karachi wicket. It will be hard for Pakistan to survive 180 overs.
 
Pakistan aint batting over 100 overs in last inns, never mind 150. This isnt a dead road like we got in pindi. The ball will reverse again, plus cracks on pitch will allow for more turn and uneven bounce.

More than the pitch, the pressure of striking a balance between attack and defense will get to them. If you are in driver seat and in unlosable situation like in the first Test two players can make 100 and draw the test. But moment you are under pressure to protect your wicket at any cost, things will start happening.
 
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