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Australia pound Pakistan to claim historic series

AFP . Lahore
26 Mar 2022 00:00:00 | Update: 26 Mar 2022 00:31:43
Australia pound Pakistan to claim historic series

Australia claimed a historic victory against Pakistan on Friday, taking the three-Test series 1-0 with a 115-run win on the fifth day of the last match in Lahore.

The victory gives Australia the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, named after former Australian skipper Richie Benaud and Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir.

Nathan Lyon finished with 5-83, his 19th five wicket haul, and was ably supported by skipper Pat Cummins (3-23) as Pakistan, set a target of 351, were bowled out for 235 in the fifth day.

Imam-ul-Haq with 70 and Babar Azam on 55 defied the Aussies but Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 22 runs.

Befittingly, Cummins bowled Naseem Shah for one to wrap up Pakistan’s innings an hour after tea to spark celebrations among his team-mates.

Pakistan were in with a chance of drawing the Test at lunch with the score on 136-2 with 57 overs left, but Lyon took advantage of a weary fifth day pitch. 

Cummins and Lyon sent three of Pakistan’s middle-order batsmen back to the pavilion for 25 runs during the second session, turning the Test on its head. 

Azam and Sajid Khan shared a 46-run stand for the sixth wicket to delay the inevitable as they cracked four boundaries off the second new ball taken at 191-5.

But Lyon dismissed Azam caught in the slip off a sharp turner to nearly seal the match before Starc dismissed Sajid for 21.

Earlier, Imam edged the ball onto his pads and the ball lobbed up into the hands of Marnus Labuschagne at silly point. Cummins then trapped Fawad Alam (11) off a fuller delivery that evaded a defensive push by the left-hander. 

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