Australia and Pakistan are set to play out a first Test draw on the final day in Rawalpindi, with the tourists currently at the crease trailing Pakistan’s first innings total by 27 runs.
Quicks Mitchell Starc (12 off 38) and Pat Cummins (4 off 6) are currently out in the middle Australia, who enter the final day’s play at 7-for-449. Poor light and a wet outfield have impacted play, with the second and third days both ending prematurely due to bad light and the first session of Day 4 being wiped out due overnight rain causing dampness in the outfield.
A draw looked likely from as early as Day 2, with both sides struggling to take wickets on a pitch that has been criticised for being too batter-friendly. Through four days, both sides have only managed to claim a collective 11 wickets, with one coming from a run-out. Pakistan put on a dominant batting display in their first innings, declaring at 4-for-476 late in the final session of Day 2. The hosts hoped to turn the pressure up on Australia in the final session, however, bad light meant that openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner faced just a single over late in the day’s play.
Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq put on a 105 opening-run partnership for the Pakistanis, before Imam and Azhar Ali poured on a 208-second wicket partnership. Imam reached his maiden Test century before being dismissed by Cummins on 157 and Marnus Labuschagne claimed Azhar’s wicket just 15 runs shorts of his double-ton. Some have questioned Pakistan’s tactics throughout their opening innings, in particular their slow run rate (2.93) and their late decision to declare, with both contributing to a likely eventual draw.
Khawaja and Warner put on a 156-run partnership to open and looked comfortable at the crease before Sajid Khan managed to knock Warner over on 68. Khawaja fell painstakingly short of a century in his first Test match in his country of birth, gloving a catch to Imam-ul-Haq off the bowling of spinner Nauman Ali on 97. Labuschagne and Steve Smith then managed a 108-run partnership before Labuschagne was dismissed for 90. Travis Head then fell cheaply before Smith and Cameron Green steadied the ship. Green fell two runs short of a fifty in his first overseas Test match, before Smith frustratingly gloved one to the keeper down leg-side on 78. Nauman managed to claim the wickets of both Green and Smith by hitting the rough down leg-side and waiting for the loose stroke.
It is unclear how Australia will attack the final day, given chances of a result are all but gone. The second Test in Karachi begins on Saturday and the coaching staff will be conscious of not overworking the players. A draw may seem anticlimactic but given Pakistan’s dominance with the bat on Days 1 and 2, Australia will take it as they prepare for Karachi.
