Warner leaps in delight after scoring his 17th Test century
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia opener David Warner smashed a breathtaking hundred to lead Australia’s charge after Pakistan counterpart Azhar Ali made a superb double hundred.
After the start of play was delayed by about 30 minutes, Pakistan resumed their innings on 310/6 and Azhar Ali, who starred on a rain-affected second day with a sparkling hundred, and Mohammad Amir only managed to add seven runs to their 42-run partnership before Amir was caught behind off the bowling of Mitchell Starc for 29.
Azhar and Sohail Khan kept the scoreboard ticking with a 52-run stand in 12 overs before the rain returned. But, after approximately 20 minutes, the players were back on the field.
From there, Azhar and Sohail took the attack to Australia and pushed them further on the back foot with a flurry of attacking shots, especially Sohail, who was clearing the boundary with ease.
The pair went on to put together a 118-run partnership, the best eighth-wicket stand for Pakistan against Australia in Test history, before Sohail’s entertaining innings came to an end when he was run out for a career-best 65, which came off 65 balls and included six boundaries and four sixes.
Sohail looks up to the heavens after scoring his first Test fifty
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Wahab Riaz did not last long as he was caught and bowled to become Josh Hazlewood’s 100th victim in Tests.
As soon as Wahab was dismissed, Pakistan declared on 443/9, which left Azhar unbeaten on 205 off 364 balls, which included 20 boundaries.
Azhar is thrilled upon bringing up his double century
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Azhar etched his name in the record books as he became the first Pakistani player to make two double centuries in Test cricket in a year. He also made the highest score by a Pakistan batsman in Australia and the second-highest score by a touring player at the Melbourne Cricket Ground behind legendary West Indies batsman Viv Richards, who made 208 in December 1984.
Hazlewood and Jackson Bird picked up three wickets apiece, while Starc and Nathan Lyon chipped in with one wicket each.
Trailing by 443 runs, Australia got off to a solid start before Yasir Shah provided the breakthrough for Pakistan as he clean bowled Matt Renshaw for 10.
Warner and Usman Khawaja made up for the loss of Renshaw as the pair dominated Pakistan during their 198-run partnership, during which Warner raced past his hundred and Khawaja his fifty.
With the scoreboard ticking along at a healthy rate, Pakistan were beginning to get frustrated and were in desperate need of a wicket.
In the end, it took a review from Pakistan for Warner to be given out caught behind off the bowling of Wahab Riaz for 144, which came off 143 balls and included 17 boundaries and a six. Riaz, however, could have prevented Warner from getting his hundred as he clean bowled the Australian opener when he was on 81, but bowled a no-ball.
Khawaja and Australia captain Steven Smith kept the runs flowing with an unbeaten 34-run stand before stumps was called.
Khawaja finished on 95 off 152 balls, which included 13 boundaries, while Smith remained undefeated on 10 off 23 deliveries, which included two boundaries.
Khawaja struck 13 boundaries during his unbeaten knock of 95
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Yasir and Riaz took one wicket each.
Australia ended day three on 278/2 and will continue batting on Thursday at 10:00 local time, 23:00 GMT (the previous day).