Australia maintains control over Pakistan after eventful first session
The second session on Day 2 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) witnessed a serene atmosphere after the tumultuous morning period, as Australia's bowlers effectively contained Pakistan's batting line-up following the hosts' dismissal for 318 runs. Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood guided the visitors to a score of 68/1 at Tea.
Despite the brilliant sunshine, the batting conditions did not automatically favor the batsmen, as the ball continued to move around, offering advantages to the bowlers who hit the right lengths consistently. Australia's bowlers capitalized on this, consistently posing challenges to the Pakistani openers. Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq displayed patience and composure after their team's bowlers performed admirably, picking up seven wickets in the morning session.
The combination of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc posed significant threats to the Pakistani batsmen, consistently beating the outside edge. The Australian bowlers persisted with their disciplined lengths, even as the scoring rate remained relatively slow. During the drinks break, Starc expressed his belief that the pitch offered opportunities for taking wickets, and the fast bowlers continued their efforts until spinner Nathan Lyon eventually reaped the rewards. In the third over after the drinks break, Lyon enticed Imam-ul-Haq into a forward push, causing the ball to drift in and sharply turn away, leading to an outside edge that was safely caught by Marnus Labuschagne at slip.
Shan Masood joined Abdullah Shafique, determined to maintain Pakistan's resilience. Together, they managed to see off nine overs, ensuring that they did not relinquish the advantage earned by their bowlers and fielders during the chaotic morning session. The day began with Labuschagne set to continue his gritty innings, but soon turned into a period of frenetic play, with Australia losing wickets rapidly while scoring runs at a rapid pace. Shaheen Afridi made the initial breakthrough by getting the ball to move, dismissing Travis Head early, while Aamer Jamal swiftly followed by dismissing Labuschagne soon after the latter reached his half-century.
Mitchell Marsh provided a brief period of stability with a blistering 41-ball 60, but Pakistan's fielders were exceptional, taking exceptional catches to dismiss key Australian batsmen. Mohammad Rizwan's one-handed diving catch to his right to dismiss Alex Carey was particularly impressive, while Starc, Lyon, and Cummins were all caught skillfully in the deep. Pakistan's pace trio of Afridi, Hamza, and Hasan Ali each picked up two wickets, while Aamer Jamal stood out with three.
In summary, Australia's bowlers skillfully maintained control during the second session, preventing Pakistan from gaining any significant momentum. With the match finely balanced, it will be fascinating to see how both teams perform in the remaining sessions.
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