The match went out of control for the visitors as Pakistan in the second Test had made some blunders made by them. Pakistan team have over the years been criticized for their fielding and the ongoing Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was no different. At crucial moments, the team fumbled catches and made wayward throws. They once again showcased the trademark comical run-outs that have become synonymous with Pakistan cricket.
This was evident once again on Friday when Pat Cummins managed to score five runs on a single ball. The incident occurred during the 75th over of Australia’s second innings. When the Australian captain faced Aamer Jamal. On the third delivery of the over, Jamal delivered a fuller ball, and Cummins attempted a drive through the covers.
As the fielders chased the ball, Pat Cummins and his partner Alex Carey easily took two runs before a series of errors turned it into a comic situation. The fielder threw the ball towards the bowler’s end, but Shaheen Afridi, stationed near the stumps failed to gather the ball. Imam-ul-Haq immediately pursued the ball, successfully preventing it from reaching the boundary. In the process, Cummins and Carey effortlessly ran three additional runs, accumulating a total of five runs off a single ball without the ball going past the boundary.
Watch the video here;
5 runs in one ball without any boundaries or no ball. pic.twitter.com/Hzcbrl3ZK2
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 29, 2023
Pakistan need 317 runs to win the Test
In the ongoing game, Australia has set a target of 317 runs for Pakistan. Australia were dismissed for 262 runs in their second innings. The host faced a precarious situation at 16 for 4 initially, but a resilient 153-run partnership between Steve Smith (50) and Mitchell Marsh (96) rescued them. Smith contributed 50 runs before being dismissed, while Marsh fell just four runs short of a century. Alex Carey also played a crucial role, scoring a well-deserved fifty to help Australia achieve a total of over 250.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi and Mir Hamza were the standout performers, each claiming four wickets. In the earlier stages of the game, Australia posted 318 runs in their first innings, with Marnus Labuschagne scoring 63. In response, Pakistan was all out for 264, despite notable fifties from Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood. Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, made a significant impact, picking up 5 wickets.
