In the ongoing Sydney Test between Pakistan and Australia, rain interruptions and wet conditions have halted play, disrupting what promised to be an intriguing battle. Pakistan, batting first, managed to score 313 runs in their first innings before the weather forced an early end to the second day’s play.
On the second day of the final Test match, Pakistan made early breakthroughs, securing the wickets of Australian openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja, who scored 34 and 47 runs, respectively. Despite losing two wickets for 116 runs, play was halted due to insufficient light, leading to an early tea break. Subsequently, persistent rain during the tea interval prompted the umpires to announce the end of play for the second day.
As play concluded on the second day, Australia had Marsh (23) and Labuschagne (6) at the crease, with a deficit of 197 runs to overcome for parity with Pakistan’s total.
Winning the toss and opting to bat, Pakistan faced an early setback as openers Abdullah Shafique and debutant Saheem Ayub departed without contributing any runs to the scoreboard.
Shaan Masood (35) and Babar Azam (26) followed suit, but a resilient partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha saw Pakistan recover. Rizwan’s innings of 88 runs propelled Pakistan to a total of 313, while Salman Ali Agha contributed with a half-century, scoring 53 runs before falling to Mitchell Starc.
After nine wickets fell, Aamer Jamal combined with Mir Hamza to add crucial runs to Pakistan’s total, with Jamal achieving his maiden half-century in Test cricket, scoring 82 runs with the help of 12 boundaries. Pakistan’s innings showcased a commendable fightback after being reduced to 190 for 5.
Australia’s bowling attack, led by Pat Cummins with 5 wickets and support from Mitchell Starc, kept the pressure on Pakistan. Nonetheless, Aamer Jamal’s spirited performance ensured that Pakistan concluded their first innings on a competitive note.
The rain-interrupted match sets the stage for an intriguing continuation, with Australia aiming to overcome the deficit and Pakistan looking to maintain their dominance in the Sydney Test.
