Rawalpindi Test: Imam-ul-Haq 132 not out grinds down Australia bowling assault on Day 1

Imam-ul-Haq led Pakistan’s dominant batting show on Day 1 of the primary Test towards Australia in Rawalpindi on Friday because the left-handed opener remained unbeaten on 132. Pakistan went to stumps at a commanding place, reaching 245/1 in 90 overs within the historic Test which marks the return of Australia to the Asian nation for the primary time in 24 years.

Playing his first Test in additional than 2 years, Imam-ul-Haq blunted the Australian new-ball assault that comprised of captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. He together with opening accomplice Abdullah Shafique stitched a 105-run opening stand, bating out 34 overs collectively. Australia’s lone-spinner Nathan Lyon picked up the one wicket that fell on Day 1 when he had Shafique caught on 44 by Cummins.

Pakistan vs Australia, 1st Test Day 1 Highlights

Imam joined palms with senior batter Azhar Ali after the autumn of Shafique and continued the nice work. While Imam carried his bat on the Stumps, Ali remained unbeaten on 64 as the 2 batters wore down the Australian bowling assault, which picked just one spinner on their return to the sub-continent.

It was a memorable day for cricket and for each side. The batters stored it cool and took the rating to 200+#BoysReadyHain l #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/8xtFaeobJu

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 4, 2022

Expressing delight on the hundred on his return to the Test aspect, Imam stated: “I cannot explain how I feel now. Coming back into the Test side, I wanted to make it count. I have been practising hard in the last two and a half years. Special mention to the camp we had in Karachi.

“I final performed towards Australia after which acquired injured towards New Zealand. And then was the twelfth man for a very long time. You have to hold working onerous. You have to study out of your errors and by no means lose your perception. I’ve performed towards Lyon. He is a high quality spinner. If you give him time, he’ll bother you. I used to be making an attempt to play with constructive intent to place him on the again foot,” he added.

Skipper Babar Azam won the toss and made the call for Pakistan to bat first. Australia’s Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins struggled to make the new ball move.

Even veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon (1-59) was ineffective until he dismissed Shafique in the penultimate over before lunch. Shafique got beaten in the flight and tried to heave the off-spinner over long-off. He was brilliantly caught by a running Cummins.

PAKISTAN DOMINATE LYON

Lyon earlier extracted brief turn of the wicket but both openers dominated the spinner by using their feet and raised a century stand. Lyon has bowled 19 overs in two sessions after being introduced within the first hour.

Imam, who last played a test match against Australia at Adelaide in December 2019, survived a close call for lbw in Starc’s third over as the visitors went for an unsuccessful television review and the replays suggested the ball would have went over the stumps.

Shafique also had a close call but Head dropped a difficult chance at leg slip in Lyon’s second over, a ball after the spinner was smacked for a straight six.

Imam raised his half century by pulling Cummins to square leg boundary for a four and overtook his batting partner once Australia briefly applied the offspin of Head and Lyon.

Imam prospered further in the second session and has so far hit 12 boundaries and two sixes as Australia fast bowlers struggled to get the breakthrough.

It’s the first time Australia has played a test match in Pakistan since 1998 due to concerns over security from several attacks in Pakistan.

Australian players wore black armbands as a tribute to Australia’s former wicketkeeper great Rod Marsh, who died on Friday at age 74.