Pak vs Aus 3 test ( Pak slipped in WTC 2023/25) - Page 4

2nd test at Melbourne stats at 5 am tomorrow

Last time pak scored 443 here but they were beaten by an innings vs Aus

Pakistan have named a squad of 12 and will make a final decision on the XI at the toss.

 Mohammad Rizwan replaces Sarfaraz Ahmed as wicketkeeper. Khurram Shahzad has been ruled out of the tour with a rib fracture and Faheem Ashraf has been dropped. That means two of Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza and Sajid Khan will play. Sajid appears likely to be included unless the pitch looks better for four quicks and Agha Salman.

• Travis Head needs 42 runs to reach 3000 in Tests

• Steven Smith's MCG average of 84.75 is second only to Don Bradman for those to have played at least 10 innings at the venue

• Saud Shakeel needs 73 runs to reach 1000 - he has currently batted 15 times, and the record for Pakistan to that landmark is 20 innings by Saeed Ahmed

• Since the start of the 2018-19 season, the MCG has the lowest Test batting average of Australia's venues, other than Hobart which has hosted just one game.

Rain forcast more on dec 27 than on dec 26.

Good toss to win as overcast morning might help seam bowlers today

Pakistan opt to bowl on Boxing Day test

Rizwan back in place of Aged Sarfaraz Nawaz, No changed in Aus team.

Pak have Mir Hamza & Hasan Ali besides Jamal & Shaheen shah Afridi but no Specialist Spinner

Asian sub-continent team like pak more comfortable in the past here 'cause Melbourne more famous for spin oriented track but things changed in last 5 years, {Number of Spinners they had >> Intikhab Alam / Abdul Qadir/ Mustaq Mohd always successful here)

Even we ( india) won test matches at Melbourne with our spin power of bedi/Chandra/ venky, Prasaana, Ashwin & Jadeja.

A Dropped catch at 1st Slip by Abdullah Shafiq off Afridi when Davey ( 144 here last time at Melbourne vs Pak series) was on 2, only time will tell us how costly it will be for pakistan.

Aus 18/0 off 7 ovs

Aus 34 / 0 after 1 hour both batsman struggle vs Hamza / Hasan Ali & Afridi

Most Individual runs in 2023 https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/year/batting-most-runs-career/2023-2023/test-matches-1

{Axar 264 in 4 test> 5 innings & Jaiswal 266 in 2 test> 3 innings}

Khawaja 1180 # 1 leading run scorer in 2023,#2 Head 900,#3 Smith 853 etc & kohli # 12 he get chance for 2 more innings before Dec 31, 2023.

Degress of swing 1st hour

1st test: 1.14

2nd test :2.34

1St Wicket at Lunch

Part timer Salman with his spin removed Warner 38 caught by babar

Aus 90/1

Bad shot by Warner 

Tea has been taken because rain stopped play. Aus lost Khawaja off Hasan Ali for 42

( Usman K> 1222* in 2023 Aggregates of runs # 1)

114/2 tea

154/3*

Smith 75 ball 26 caught Rizwan off Jamal

10 more ovs to go on Rain hit 1st day 

187/3 at close

Head  dropped by pak captain

Labu 44 not out 

Not twice lucky Head departs for 17

 1st wicket to Afridi after 70 overs. Labu dismissed too off jamal for 63.

253/5 now

 Marsh 31*