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Pak vs Aus: Pakistan take momentum to Lahore as Australia rue another near-miss

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  • The wicket at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will be something of an unknown as it hosts its first Test since 2009.
  • “(Batting) five sessions in a Test match against Australia is no joke,” says wicketkeeper Rizwan.
  • Pakistan have now twice foiled Australia’s vaunted attack.

Pakistan and Australia head to the third and final Test in Lahore with the series locked and all to play for but the home side will feel they have the momentum after pulling off a brilliant save in Karachi.

Inspired by a majestic 196 by captain Babar Azam and 104 by Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s 171.4-over stonewall was the longest any team has batted in the fourth innings of a Test, barring England’s epic 654 for five in the ‘Timeless Test’ against South Africa in Durban in 1939.

“(Batting) five sessions in a Test match against a world-class team like Australia is no joke,” said wicketkeeper Rizwan.

“This match is definitely a benchmark for our team to rise above.”

Pakistan have now twice foiled Australia’s vaunted attack, though the lifeless Rawalpindi pitch aided the home side’s cause in the series-opener.

Read more: T20I, ODI matches shifted from Rawalpindi to Lahore, Sheikh Rasheed says

Australia, meanwhile, spoke of disappointment in falling three wickets short of victory but may quietly feel relieved to leave Karachi with the series tied.

Pakistan were motoring toward what would have been a record 506-run chase for victory until spinner Nathan Lyon dismissed Babar and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf in consecutive balls.

Australia’s inability to close out matches from dominant positions on day five has become a problem.

They have now racked up five such failures in their last 19 Tests, having let England off the hook in Sydney during the recent Ashes and India twice in the 2-1 series defeat in the previous home summer.

While Australian media questioned whether skipper Pat Cummins might have enforced the follow-on rather than making his team bat again, the tourists’ sloppy fielding on day five ultimately paved the way for disappointment.

Mitchell Swepson, Australia’s first Test legspinner in more than a decade, may feel particularly aggrieved after finishing with figures of 0-156 from nearly 54 overs’ work in the fourth innings of his debut Test, with four chances going begging off his bowling.

“I thought ‘Swep-o’ bowled fantastically today,” Cummins said.

“I don’t know how he’s ended up with those figures.”

The wicket at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will be something of an unknown as it hosts its first Test since 2009.

Selecting an attack has been a virtual guessing game for Australia on their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years and Lahore may be no different.

Cummins said they will at least have a full complement of bowlers to choose from, with him and his fellow pacemen sparing themselves a bigger workload in Karachi by routing Pakistan for 148 in their first innings.

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Younis Khan supports two contenders to lead Pakistan in white-ball cricket.

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Younis Khan, the former captain of Pakistan, identified left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman and wicketkeeper batsman Muhammad Rizwan as possible successors to Babar Azam as Pakistan’s white-ball captain.

When Younis spoke to the media at the storied Adelaide Oval, he suggested that Babar would become a better hitter if he gave up the captaincy.

Younis stated, “Babar Azam will benefit from stepping away from the captaincy.”

It’s a common mistake in our culture, in my opinion, to designate the biggest player as captain. He continued, “Mohammad Rizwan or Fakhar Zaman ought to be given consideration for the position.

Along with discussing the current status of the national men’s cricket team and expressing hope that they would perform well in Australia, the captain of the 2009 T20 World Cup also shared his thoughts.

“I hope the men’s cricket team from Pakistan does well in Australia. Young players make up the present group, and there are undoubtedly some problems with team selection that need to be fixed, according to Younis.

Younis Khan continued to praise Australia’s former bowler Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s head coach for red-ball cricket, saying that he is putting in a lot of effort to improve Pakistani cricket.

“Jason Gillespie and I played cricket together; he is putting a lot of effort into strengthening the Pakistani team. On the other hand, better judgment is required when it comes to choosing,” he stated.

In case you missed it, Younis Khan is visiting Australia in order to take part in the Australian Summer Cricket Festival, which is set to take place in Melbourne on October 5.

The event, which aims to promote the game and bring together cricket talent from around the world, will include the former captain of Pakistan along with Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk.

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Usman Qadir declares his cricket retirement.

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The statement was made by the leg-spinner in a message uploaded on X, which was once known as Twitter. Usman Qadir’s final Pakistani game was in 2022.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude as I reflect on this incredible journey,” he said, announcing his retirement from Pakistan cricket today.

“Representing my country has been an enormous honor, and I am grateful for my teammates’ and coaches’ support throughout the entire process.”

“Every experience, from life-changing setbacks to priceless triumphs, has molded my profession and enhanced my quality of life. The cricket player continued, “I’m incredibly grateful to the devoted supporters who have always stood by me; your unwavering support has meant the world.”

“I will be continuing my dad’s legacy as I step into this new chapter, embracing both my love for cricket and the lessons he instilled in me,” he went on. The essence of Pakistani cricket and the priceless moments we shared are with me. I am very grateful for what you have done.

It should be noted that Usman Qadir, the late Abdul Qadir’s son and a great leg-spinner in Pakistan, has participated in 25 Twenty20 Internationals and one ODI, taking 29 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95.

The 31-year-old cricket player has accused former PCB technical director Mohammad Hafeez of being the reason of his expulsion from the national squad in May 2024.

Speaking on a regional YouTube channel, Usman asserted that, because of his recent success in domestic cricket, former T20 captain Shaheen Afridi had guaranteed him a spot in the January series against New Zealand.

He claimed that Hafeez’s meddling had harmed his career and accused him of pushing back against his selection.

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Following Babar’s resignation, Mohammad Rizwan is the “strongest candidate” to lead the Pakistani team.

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The people who know are saying that Mohammad Rizwan has been invited to discuss with important PCB authorities over the teams.

As white-ball coach Gary Kirsten wanted Babar at the top, the sources claimed that he was urged to remain captain of the ODI team rather than to resign from the position.

The sources insisted that Kirsten’s desire to alter the team’s captain for the T20 format was part of their future strategies and that the coach had requested the move in July.

The sources added that in July, Kirsten traveled to Pakistan for meetings and to present a report on the T20 World Cup. The coach also met with Babar during same month to talk about captaincy issues.

No consultation process involved Babar either. Nonetheless, prior to announcing his resignation, he had communicated his choice to a senior board member.

It was stated one day earlier by the former captain of Pakistan that he would be giving up his white-ball captaincy to concentrate on his playing career and personal development.

The 29-year-old hitter said on X, “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving ahead and spend more energy on my game and personal growth.

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