Pakistan veteran Azhar Ali closes in on his first century in his hometown after being handed lifeline by Steve Smith… with hosts looking to close the gap on tourists in final Test in Lahore
- Azhar Ali made a half century in his hometown for the first time on Wednesday
- The Pakistan veteran, 37, reached the milestone in the first session of day three
- Australia scored 391 in the first innings and Pakistan are looking to close the gap
- Steve Smith blundered the chance to dismiss Azhar before he reached fifty
Azhar Ali posted his first test half century in his hometown and Abdullah Shafique continued to flourish against Australia as Pakistan reached 159-1 at lunch Wednesday on Day 3 of the third and final cricket test.
Australia missed a chance to break the century partnership when Steve Smith couldn’t hold onto a sharp one-handed catch off Azhar at slip in Mitchell Swepson’s last over before the interval.
Both batters were otherwise untroubled against pace and spin on a slow wicket in a dominating first session for Pakistan, which still trails by 232 runs after bowling out Australia for 391 in the first innings.
Pakistan veteran Azhar Ali hit his first half century in Lahore on day three of the third Test
Opener Shafique was unbeaten on 75 and Azhar, veteran of 94 test matches, was not out on 63 while playing his first test match at Lahore. He made his test debut against Australia in 2010.
Resuming on 90-1, both batters defied the reverse swing of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins and also batted resolutely against spinners Nathan Lyon and Swepson.
They have extended their second-wicket stand to 139 runs with Azhar needing 11 more runs to complete 7,000 in test cricket.
The 37-year-old put in an assured knock to reach the milestone as the hosts built their total
Australia scored 391 runs in the first innings and the hosts are looking to close that gap
Australia is left with only one referral after it lost its second review when it unsuccessfully challenged a not out decision for lbw against Shafique in Starc’s first over soon after the batter had completed his half century.
Shafique is in impeccable form in the batter-dominated series as he scored his maiden test hundred in the drawn first test at Rawalpindi. He narrowly missed out on a century at Karachi, but his patient 96 had helped Pakistan to survive for well over five sessions and forced an epic draw.
Shafique, resuming Wednesday on 45, completed his half century in 3-1/2 hours when he drove Starc to the mid-off boundary for two.
Azhar, on 30 overnight, reverse swept Lyon for a boundary and then completed his half century with a drive to mid-wicket.
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