Australia v Pakistan second Test LIVE: Khawaja chases another century

12 Mar 2022

Sydney Morning Herald

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Australia v Pakistan second Test LIVE Khawaja chases another century

After the first Test draw - dubbed a “draw bore” - the Australia v Pakistan series goes to the second Test, starting on Saturday in Karachi.

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If you didn’t already love Usman, you will after this speech

Here’s a lovely video as Khawaja presents Mitch Swepson with his baggy green.

Just one great Queenslander to another.

Khawaja being compared to David Gower as the 150 arrives

The Fox commentary team are gushing over Our Usman as he effortlessly guides that one away for more runs and the Australians move past 150, with Smith still at the crease alongside the left-hander. He’s being compared to the likes of Gower and Mark Waugh, both players who had fluid batting strokes and timed the ball to perfection.

We enter a holding pattern in the second Test

Khawaja and Smith are just ticking things over here as Pakistan turn to their slow bowlers to see if they can break what is now the key partnership. This pair have scored 48 as a duo and are looking rock solid as the tourists close in on the 150 mark with two in the sheds.

Smith would love a proper day out here By Tom Decent

It’s been a while Smith was the man for Australia. It’s been a dozen innings since his most-recent Test century.

Smith starting to look very much at home

Finds the boundary there with a delightful shot past the only slip, just slides that off the face from the bowling of Shaheen and moves to 24. Khawaja has been the story again so far but Smith looks like he’s in a mood to me.

Here’s how Khawaja is scoring his runs at the National Stadium By Tom Decent

Khawaja’s two scoring zones are quite evident. Either back down the ground in the mid-off region or the ‘wristy’ zone - towards square leg. He’s been brilliant off his pads today and is timing them superbly.

The award-winning Tommy D is cooking in Karachi (also has pitch issues)We return to play in Karachi

Shaheen Afridi gets us underway for the afternoon as Khawaja and Smith try to make the most of that good start after winning the toss and batting. Does a century beckon for Khawaja again? When you watch him bat like this, it’s hard to believe he wasn’t just a fixture for the past five years.

Here’s a look at that Labuschagne run out

Make up your own mind...

Lunch on day one as Pakistan hit back

Australia adjourn at 2-100, with Khawaja on 52 and Smith on 7. It looked like one-way traffic for long portions of that session as Khawaja and Warner took charge of the home attack but a nick from Warner and a crazy run from Labuschagne put Pakistan right back in the contest. See you all after the break.

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