Amid all the ups and downs, the Australian team have finally managed to defeat the Pakistan team by 79 runs. This year will surely go down a year where Australia dominated and Pat Cummins claimed that he is one of the best captains that the World has ever seen. In a game that once felt like the Pakistan team winning the game but were deprived of the victory by a sensational seam bowling spell from Australian skipper, Pat Cummins. With this win, the Aussies have sealed the series 2-0, with the last Test set to be played at Sydney Cricket Ground.
After being inserted to bat first by Pakistan’s skipper Shan Masood, the Australian team managed to score 318 runs. All the top-order batters got the start but failed to convert those into big ones. The star with the bat was Marnus Labuschagne who scored 63 runs. On the other hand, Aamer Jamal led the Pakistan attack picking up three crucial wickets. While, Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza, and Hasan Ali all picked up two wickets each.
In reply, the Pakistan team looked solid and determined to take on Australian bowling. Abdullah Shafique (62) and Shan Masood (54) led the attack and made sure Pakistan reached the target. However, terrific comeback spells from skipper Cummins and Nathan Lyon dented Pakistan’s hopes. It was courtesy of late heroics from Mohammad Rizwan (42) and Aamer Jamal (33) which saw Pakistan reach closer to Australia’s first-innings score. Finally, Pakistan ended with 264 runs on the board giving Australia a lead of 54 runs.
Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith come to Australia’s rescue
The Pakistan bowlers came out all guns blazing in the second innings. The Pakistan bowlers wrecked havoc on Australian top order leaving them reeling at 16 for 4. However, the host witnessed a remarkable recovery through a resilient 153-run partnership between Steve Smith (50) and Mitchell Marsh (96). Smith contributed 50 runs before his dismissal, while Marsh fell just four runs shy of reaching a century. Alex Carey also played a pivotal role, securing a well-deserved fifty, contributing to Australia’s total of over 250. This meant that Australia gave Pakistan a total of 317 to win the game.
The Pakistan team did not have the best start to the pursuit as they lost opener Abdullah Shafique (8) in the fifth over of the innings. Skipper Cummins struck again in the 15th over leaving Pakistan at 49/2. But a brilliant third partnership from skipper Shan Masood (60) and Babar Azam (41) revived the Pakistan innings. However, the partnership was broken once again by Cummins who was looking threatening. Once this partnership was broken, Pakistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals until Rizwan came into bat. Rizwan (35) along with Agha Salman (50) kept the hopes of Pakistan. But it was Cummins, later in the day who cleaned up Pakistan’s lower order and registered a fifer. Mitchell Starc too contributed with four wickets.
Let us look at how Twitter has reacted to win from Australia;
Congratulations Australia for thrashing Pakistan once again
— Satya Prakash (@Satya_Prakash08) December 29, 2023
Pakistan have their best chance to win today but they again crumbled in pressure
— Kirkett (@bhaskar_sanu08) December 29, 2023
Pakistan:
Arrange next series with ZIMBABWE KENYA??— Praneeth (@fantasy_d11) December 29, 2023
Cricket is a dumb sport played passionately and religiously by south asian countries only for Australia to win at the end ?#AUSvPAK
— ???? (@aquidtweets) December 29, 2023
I already knew that Pakistan would lose.?
— Vishal Kumar (@vishalkumar9000) December 29, 2023
Bad Luck ??????
— Rubab ?? (@R_4_Rubab) December 29, 2023
Pakistan had a chance to win the match but PAT CUMMINS took it away
— Shivaye ? (@shivaye01) December 29, 2023
10 wickets!! Amazing game ?
— Tarun Lochib (@tarunlochib) December 29, 2023
Congratulations to team Australia
— Dr Bakra (@DrBakra) December 29, 2023
