PERTH: A combined bowling effort saw Australia bundle Pakistan for a meagre 89 runs in the second innings to register a huge 360-run victory in the first Test of the three-match series at Perth Stadium on Sunday.
Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was adjudged man-of-the-match for his brilliant performance in both innings with scores of 90 and 63* as well as one wicket in the first innings.
Pakistan set to chase a mammoth 450 runs on the fourth day, started horribly as they lost their top three batters with only 19 runs on the board.
Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel established a brief stand of 29 runs for the fourth wicket, which was the highest partnership in Pakistan’s second innings.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins removed Babar Azam (14) to break the stand.
Pakistan were reeling at 53-4 at the tea break on the fourth day with Saud Shakeel and Sarfaraz Ahmed on the crease.
However, the Australian bowler picked quick wickets after the break to wrap Pakistan’s innings, picking the remaining six wickets with an addition of only 36 runs.
Shakeel top-scored with 24 runs from 51 balls, with the help of four boundaries.
Josh Hazlewood dismissed Shakeel and Khurram Shahzad on back-to-back wickets to seal the victory for his side.
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Hazlewood returned with brilliant bowling figures of 3-13, while Mitchell Starc claimed 3-31. Nathan Lyon picked two wickets and became the eighth bowler in history to pick 500 wickets in Test cricket.
Earlier in the day, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh helped Australia set Pakistan to chase 450 after declaring their second innings at 233-5 on the fourth day.
Australia added 149 runs to their overnight score of 84-2 to set Pakistan a mammoth total in the second session.
Australia resumed their innings with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja on the crease but lost Smith early after Khurram Shahzad got him out lbw.
Aamer Jamal then dismissed Travis Head to reduce Australia to 107-4, bringing out Mitchell Marsh to bat.
Khawaja and Marsh then knitted a solid 126 run-stand to help Australia reach 233 before Babar Azam caught the former off Shaheen Afridi.
Australia declared the innings with this wicket to set Pakistan to chase a mammoth 450-run target with a session and a day remaining.
Khawaja top-scored with 90 runs from 190 balls with the help of nine boundaries, while Marsh played a quick-fire knock of 63 off 68, laced with eight boundaries and two sixes.
Debutant Khurram Shahzad led the bowling charts for Pakistan with figures of 3-45, while Jamal and Afridi picked one wicket each.