Pakistan took control of the second Test at Abu Dhabi, bowling Australia out for 145 on the second day as the hosts strode to a 281-run lead with eight wickets in hand.
Despite losing first Test hero Usman Khawaja before the close of the first day, Australia started day two with high hopes of hauling down Pakistan’s relatively mediocre first innings score of 282.
Before they could take stock of the pitch their innings was in tatters, losing five wickets in 27 overs to find themselves in terrible trouble at 91-7.
Aaron Finch top-scored with a stodgy 39, but the Marsh brothers, Travis Head and Tim Paine all failed with the bat, although South African-born Marnus Labuschagne followed up his dual failures in his Test debut in the first Test with a promising 25 off 49 balls before he was run out in tragic fashion.
Labuschagne was run out by bowler Yasir Shah, who got a fingertip to a straight drive from Mitchell Starc (34 off 45 balls, two sixes) that carried on to hit the stumps with the non-striker standing just a few inches out of his crease – but, sadly, his bat was hovering in the air.
It was a bitter blow for Labuschagne and Australia as it reduced them to 128-8 just when they were showing signs of recovery. The innings ended seven overs later with Australia bowled out for 145, leaving them 136 runs behind their hosts.
Mohammad Abbas was superb with the ball, returning figures of 12.4-4-33-5 (econ 2.60), while Bilal Asif took 3-23.
Test debutant Fakhar Zaman fell six runs short of a century on debut in the first innings and he was in the runs again in the second innings, scoring 66 off 83 balls before Nathan Lyon took an incredible catch off his own bowling to dismiss him. Fakhar had added 91 for the second wicket with Azhar Ali, who ended the day 54 not out off 119 balls.
Pakistan ended the day 144 for the loss of two wickets to take a lead of 281 runs. With eight wickets and three days in hand, Australia will again be under pressure to chase a massive fourth inning total, but this time there will be little chance of playing out for a draw.
Photo: Francois Nel/Getty Images
