Pakistan’s wait for a Test match win in Australia continued as Shan Masood’s men were comfortably outclassed by 360 runs on Day 4 of the first Test of their 3-match series by Pat Cummins’s side in Perth on Sunday, December 17. Pakistan were bundled out for their third-lowest total on Australian soil (89) as they crumbled in the final innings of the Test. |
Pakistan lasted just 30.2 overs in the final session after they set a daunting target of 450 on the 4th day of the Test. Pakistan were expected to put up a resolute show with the bat in the final innings of the series opener at the Optus Stadium, but they were blown away by a top-quality Australian bowling attack. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood picked up 3 wickets each, but Nathan Lyon was the star of the 4th day’s play as he completed the landmark of 500 Test wickets, becoming only the 2nd Australian spinner after legendary Shane Warne to do so.
The 360-run defeat was the second-biggest for Pakistan in Test cricket in terms of runs after their 471-run loss which also came in Perth in 2004. Shan Masood’s start to Test captaincy was expected to be tough, but the lack of fight from the Asian giants, especially in the second innings is a cause for concern. Pakistan have now lost 15 Tests on the trot in Australia with their last win coming in 1995.
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