Australia lost the first Test match against Pakistan at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, December 17, by an overwhelming score of 360 runs.
Australia led by 300 runs in the second inning at 84/2 on Day 4. Pakistan had already fallen well behind in the match, so it was imperative that they go straight for the kill right away. The visitors bowled brilliantly in the first hour, taking two wickets and giving up just 36 runs.
But Usman Khawaja broke their spirits on a wicket that was giving an uneven bounce, with a good knock of 90 from 190 balls. Pakistan also did not help themselves when Mitchell Marsh, 23, was dropped by captain Shan Masood. The Australian all-rounder went on to knock a match-winning 63 off 68 balls as the host team set a challenging goal of 450 runs for Pakistan.
The first breakthrough came in the fourth inning, when Mitchell Starc got rid of Abdullah Shafique with the last ball of the opening over. Masood lost to Josh Hazlewood in the sixth over, while Imam-ul-Haq, another left-hander, was out of the game in the over that followed. As Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel teamed up, Pakistan was facing certain doom at 19/3. After a 29-run partnership between the two batsmen, the former captain of Pakistan successfully chipped one off Australian skipper Pat Cummins to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Pakistan was facing a severe loss as the wickets continued to fall. With a career-high 51 off 24 balls, Shakeel led all Pakistani batsmen in scoring, but they were unable to hold out against a deadly bowling attack and a hot wicket. Australia prevailed by 360 runs to grab a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, dismissing the Asian heavyweights for just 89 runs. On a momentous day, Nathan Lyon claimed his 500th wicket in a Test match by leg before wicket (LBW), dismissing Faheem Ashraf. Marsh was declared Player of the Match after scoring a century in the first inning and taking a wicket.
Here are some responses from ‘X’ users after Australia’s crushing victory and Nathan Lyon’s landmark:
Nathan Lyon. Whattttt a legend! 🫡#AUSvPAK #AUSvsPAK #PAKvAUS #PAKvsAUS https://t.co/81AjDe7MEx
— Sharon Solomon (@BSharan_6) December 17, 2023
Niiiiiiice Garry!!🐐
✅ Muralitharan
✅ Shane Warne
✅ James Anderson
✅ Anil Kumble
✅ Stuart Broad
✅ Glenn McGrath
✅ Courtney Walsh
✅ NATHAN LYONLyon etches his name alongside some of the greatest cricketers of ALL TIME!! 🇦🇺👏
#Cricket #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/fwChGTpgd6
— Abid Khan (@AbidKhan390) December 17, 2023
FIVE HUNDRED Test Wickets@NathLyon421 So bloody proud of you mate. Ridiculous achievement 🙌🏽👏🏽
Skill. Longevity. And the same human being I met when we were kids. @7Cricket | #AUSvPAK
— Trent Copeland (@copes9) December 17, 2023
15 consecutive innings with 20+ scores from Test debut!
Saud Shakeel becomes the first batsman in Test history to achieve this feat – Sir Everton Weekes had the previous longest streak (14 innings).#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/0YObetzAHe
— Khattak tweets (@Taaha_ktk) December 17, 2023
15 consecutive innings with 20+ scores from Test debut!
Saud Shakeel becomes the first batsman in Test history to achieve this feat – Sir Everton Weekes had the previous longest streak (14 innings).#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/0YObetzAHe
— Khattak tweets (@Taaha_ktk) December 17, 2023
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