The wicket not only marked a crucial breakthrough for the Australian side but also ignited a palpable sense of excitement among the cricket fans. Lyon’s successful dismissal of Shafique brought his test wicket tally to an impressive 497, placing him a mere three wickets away from achieving the significant milestone of 500 Test wickets.
Nathan Lyon’s out-of-the-box delivery to Abdullah Shafique
During the second ball of the 37th over, Lyon delivered a precisely pitched length ball aimed at the leg stump. Shafique, displaying an aggressive approach, confidently advanced down the pitch with the intention of dispatching the ball over the mid-wicket region with a powerful stroke. However, the spinning delivery caught the inside edge of the right-handed batter’s willow, resulting in a flick that sent the red leather hurtling towards leg slip. Positioned adeptly, David Warner showcased his fielding prowess by sensibly securing the catch, effectively ending the 24-year-old’s innings.
Here is the video:
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Pakistan’s performance with the willow
Following Australia’s imposing total of 487, the Pakistani opening duo of Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq displayed a commendable performance, thwarting the Australian attack for a significant portion of the day with a noteworthy 74-run partnership for the first wicket. Shafique, after a gritty innings, departed on 42.
Following his dismissal, skipper Shan Masood entered the fray with clear intent, quickly reaching 30 off 43 balls. Masood and Imam then forged a 49-run partnership for the second wicket, although Imam grappled with the challenging bounce of Perth. The day took a late turn when Mitchell Starc dismissed Masood by leveraging a successful review. Nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad (7* off 18) joined Imam (38* off 136), and both skilfully negotiated the remaining overs before the stumps.
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