Pakistan failed to hold out in the last session of the third and final cricket test as Australia recorded an emphatic 115-run win Friday to clinch the series 1-0.
The hosts were dismissed for 235 in their second innings on a worn-out wicket an hour after tea as Australia enjoyed a successful end to its first test series in Pakistan since 1998. Australia claimed the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, named after leg-spin greats from the two countries — Richie Benaud and Abdul Qadir.
Australia captain Pat Cummins clean bowled No. 11 Naseem Shah to secure victory on the fifth day.
Resuming on 73-0, and entering the final session at 190-5, Pakistan collapsed against veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who got plenty of turn and bounce from a fifth-day wicket and finished with 5-83 from 37 overs.
Australia was rewarded for setting Pakistan a challenging target of 351 after boldly declaring its second innings at 227-3. Pakistan had conceded a decisive 123-run lead after scoring 268 in its first innings in reply to Australia’s 391.
“The way we batted and got ahead of the game (in the first innings) was fantastic,” said Cummins, who was man of the match with his overall eight-wicket haul. “The way we applied ourselves today, everyone was up for it … I thought if we bowled to our potential it (the 351-run target) was a long way away.”
Lyon bowled an unchanged marathon spell of 28 overs on the last day as the veteran off-spinner extracted plenty of bounce and turn from the fifth-day wicket.
Earlier, Australia had pinned down Pakistan to 136-2 at lunch, allowing the home team to add only 63 runs in an extended 2-1/2 hour first session.
Azhar Ali (17) was controversially judged caught close to the wicket by the TV umpire after the batter went for a sweep against Lyon and the ball popped out to Smith.
Onfield umpire Ahsan Raza ruled in the batter’s favor but Australia went for referral and, after several inconclusive replays, the TV umpire Asif Yaqoob overturned the decision.
Australia had made early inroads when opener Abdullah Shafique failed to add a run to his overnight 27 after Pakistan resumed on 73-0.
Cameron Green struck in his second over when he had Shafique caught behind as the batter tried to push the ball away from his body and got a healthy edge behind the wicket.
The first test ended in a tame draw at Rawalpindi where the pitch was rated as below average by the ICC. Babar’s brilliant 196 in more than 10 hours denied Australia a win at Karachi where Pakistan played out 171.4 overs in more than five sessions and forced an epic draw.
Pakistan and Australia start a three-match ODI series on Tuesday