Lyon removed Sharjeel to leave Australia needing nine wickets to win on the final day
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Pakistan lost opener Sharjeel Khan after they were set 465 to win following an impressive performance by Australia’s batsmen on the penultimate day of the third Test in Sydney.
Australia went on the offensive in their second innings and full credit must go to opener David Warner, captain Steven Smith and batsman Usman Khawaja as they made 55, 59 and 79 not out respectively.
After no play was possible in the first session due to heavy rain and a wet outfield, Pakistan resumed their innings on 271/8 after the lunch break and made a good start to the day.
Younis Khan and Yasir Shah managed to convert their seven-run stand into a 51-run partnership before Yasir was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood for 10.
Just two balls later, Pakistan were bowled out for 315, which gave Australia a 223-run lead, when Imran Khan was cleaned up by Hazlewood.
With no more batsmen left to come in, Younis was left stranded on 175 not out, which came off 334 balls and included 17 boundaries and three sixes.
Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Nathan Lyon snapped up three and Mitchell Starc and Steve O’Keefe chipped in with one wicket apiece.
With a 223-run lead in hand, Australia got off to a blistering start thanks to David Warner, who took just 23 balls to bring up his half-century.
Shortly after though, the fireworks and the 71-run partnership between Warner and Usman Khawaja came to an end as Warner was clean bowled by Wahab Riaz for 55 off 27 balls, which included eight boundaries and three sixes.
Warner made the second-fastest fifty in Test history
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Khawaja and captain Steven Smith kept the runs flowing with a 103-run stand, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, before Smith was caught behind off the bowling of Yasir for 59, which came off 43 balls and included eight boundaries and a six.
Smith made his 20th Test fifty
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Australia continued to take the attack to Pakistan as Khawaja and Peter Handscomb put together an unbeaten 67-run partnership before Smith decided to declare with his side on 241/2, which set Pakistan a target of 465 to win.
Khawaja ended up making 79 off 98 balls, which included five boundaries and a six, while Handscomb smashed an unbeaten 40 off 25 deliveries, which included five boundaries.
Khawaja dabs upon scoring his half-century
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Riaz and Yasir took one wicket each.
Chasing 465 to win, Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan and Azhar Ali amassed a 51-run partnership, the majority of which was dominated by Sharjeel, before he was dismissed by Nathan Lyon for 40 right towards the end of the day.
Azhar and Yasir, who was sent in as the nightwatchman, ensured Pakistan lost no more wickets as they put together an unbeaten four-run partnership before stumps was called.
Azhar finished on 11 off 48 balls, which included one boundaries, while Yasir remained undefeated on three.
Lyon was the only bowler to take a wicket.
Pakistan ended day four on 55/1 and will continue batting 30 minutes earlier on Saturday at 10:00 local time or 23:00 GMT (the previous day).