Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
145 | 2 Runs 2 Wkts | PAK: 450/10

  • Rahat Ali1 (2b)
  • Mitchell Starc38-10-119-4
  • Josh Hazlewood42-11-99-0

2.40pm A great end to an unbelievably good Test match. These two teams resume battle with the traditional Boxing Day Test at the G. We will be there then to bring you that. Until then.

2.18pm End of the best Test match of the year. What a game we've had. Superb fighting effort from Pakistan. They're obviously disconsolate, but needn't be. They almost pulled off the most improbable heist in Test history. They came into the fifth day needing 108 to win. Shafiq and Yasir Shah got that total down to about 41 without losing their heads under pressure. But a stunning delivery fro Starc set the game up for Australia, removing the centurion Shafiq with what was probably the ball of the Test. Australia, then, take a 1-0 lead. Not sure how many times a team takes an extra half hour to wrap up the Test, and then nearly loses it. But that's the way it all goes.

Time for the presentation.

Asad Shafiq is the Man of the Match: "I was hitting the ball well in the nets. A matter of time before I had a good innings. (the tail) showed a lot of courage and funk. We almost chased 490, because of our tail. There was energy (in the morning), thinking we had to go for a match. I was not expecting that from Starc, he bowled a couple of really good spells.

Misbah-ul-Haq: "I'm happy because, after the first innings, the way we got all out, it was looking difficult for us to come back. Wonderful. Special knocks from tail-enders also. Amir showed resilience. That was a superb knock from Shafiq. I'm happy and proud the way we played in the fourth innings. I always believe in this team, that's why we've been performing well in the last six years. All individuals can give you something special. We knew Yasir can chip in and he can help Shafiq. Even when Shafiq got out there was hope. After what we showed in the last couple of days, everyone believes, the team more than anyone else

Steven Smith: "Lost all my fingernails. some game of cricket, wasn't it. Asad played an unbelievable innings. Was hardwork. Lot of credit to the way they played. Our quicks kept coming back, that wicket showed the class of Starcy. You've always got hope, one wicket away. They didn't give us a sniff until the end. Wouldn't have enforced the follow-on, to give our bowlers a rest. We've seen in day-night Tests, wickets fall under lights with the new ball. I'm sure the ratings would have been amazing as well. Nice to hit 'em, not sure what Yasir was doing there.:

Peter Handscomb: "Was pretty tight there toward the end. No such thing as an easy win. They really fought hard. Plenty of chat. We knew we were one wicket away from sealing it. Was all about the processes. Shafiq stuck to his guns, nearly got their team over the line."

Mitchell Starc: "They played really well to score that total on the backend of the game. We knew if we got one, we'd eventually get the other. Hard toiling for us. A bit stiff and sore for the night. Long night, didn't get to bed till 1.30 - 2 o'clock. The ball went soft rather quickly, a bit of hard work towards the end. They've gusted it out and credit to them.

144.6
W
Starc to Yasir Shah, OUT, that's the end of the Test match. A lackadaisical way to end the game. The umpire gives him out on the field. A yorker on off and middle, Yasir outside-edges his flick to Smith at second slip. He is so disappointed with his shot that he continues to look at his partner in search of an impossible run. Smith, though, is quick on it and effects a direct hit at the striker's end. Yasir was just a few metres away from his crease, but failed to get his bat down in time. Australia celebrate in a huddle. Jubilant scenes.

Yasir Shah run out 33 (108m 66b 4x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

144.5
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, clears his front leg and looks to mow the ball over midwicket. The line was far too wide outside off to play that shot

Two slips in place, a normal ODI field

Jesus: "Finally some sanity prevails in this crazy , unbelievable run chase. Australia should finish this madness now in 10 minutes!"

144.4
1
Starc to Rahat Ali, 1 run, 146 kph, Starc won't be too happy with that. Strays on the pads and clipped to square leg

Ahmed: "Pakistan made test cricket cool again."

144.3
0
Starc to Rahat Ali, no run, 145 kph, bouncer to start on leg. Rahat watches it and avoids the ball with a duck.

Three slips, a gully, a short leg, a leg gully and fly slip for Rahat

144.2
W
Starc to Asad Shafiq, OUT, snorter from Starc. And Australia strike. Is that the delivery that changes this Test match? The front foot is fine. Australia are pumped. Goes wide of the crease from around the wicket and directs his bouncer at Shafiq's badge. The key to that delivery was the length. It wasn't pitched too short. More a back of a length, but he was aided by the bounce in this pitch. Shafiq felt he can play instead of duck. It takes the glove and shoulder of the bat and lobs to Warner at gully who backtracks, takes a two-handed overhead catch and throws the ball miles in the air. Sensational delivery to end an even better innings. Fantastic stuff from Shafiq.

Asad Shafiq c Warner b Starc 137 (336m 207b 13x4 1x6) SR: 66.18

Srini: "I believe this is no coincidence that Australia is at the other end evrty time some historic chase happens (Barbados '99, Antigua '03, Perth '08, Jo'burg '12, and now this).. .Go Pakistan !! Loving test cricket"

144.1
1
Starc to Yasir Shah, 1 run, 149 kph, a yorker on off. Yasir jams his bat down and gets one to cover.

Pakistan's section of the crowd in full voice

END OF OVER:
144 | 6 Runs | PAK: 448/8

  • Asad Shafiq137 (206b)
  • Yasir Shah32 (63b)
  • Josh Hazlewood42-11-99-0
  • Mitchell Starc37-10-117-3
143.6
4
Hazlewood to Asad Shafiq, FOUR, through gully and Pakistan get four closer. Short and wide, poor ball. The field was brought up too. Shafiq lays into his cut and gets this behind point for four
143.5
0
Hazlewood to Asad Shafiq, no run, just past the bat. 132 kph. Full delivery on a sixth-stump channel, the ball holds its line and beats the bat. Just natural variation

chandana : "Ohh what a come back from PAK. This took my memory to 2007 Aus vs SL 2nd Test in Hobart. Sanga and Malinga did the same thing before that horrible decision. Only difference was No DRS at that time. Come on PAK you can do it. And Importantly Luck is with you."

143.4
0
Hazlewood to Asad Shafiq, no run, shortish and wide outside off, 138 kph. No stroke
143.3
1
Hazlewood to Yasir Shah, 1 run, good delivery. Full and straight, a low full toss. Worked away to square leg for one

Ahmed: "Asad five short of his best, Yasir already playing at his highest score. This is bringing out the best in both of them."

143.2
1
Hazlewood to Asad Shafiq, 1 run, full on middle and leg, nudged away to mid-on. in the air and just wide of Renshaw at midwicket. Pressure increasing
143.1
0
Hazlewood to Asad Shafiq, no run, that looks closer than the previous one. Huge appeal. No, says umpire Illingworth. Australia don't review. only question is height. Yes, it's missing the stumps. Fullish on off, nips back in and strikes Shafiq in front of middle.

END OF OVER:
143 | (maiden) | PAK: 442/8

  • Yasir Shah31 (62b)
  • Asad Shafiq132 (201b)
  • Mitchell Starc37-10-117-3
  • Josh Hazlewood41-11-93-0
142.6
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, byes? Short delivery down leg, bounces well in front of Wade and he parries his collection to fine leg. They don't take the run
142.5
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, 150 kph, full and straight, defended back. Starc finding his rhythm now
142.4
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, back of a length outside off, 141 kph. Got on top of the bounce and played it down
142.3
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, 146 kph, full delivery outside off, sixth-stump line. Moves away too. Yasir misses his drive by a distance

Definitely a lot more happening now in terms of lateral movement

142.2
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, grazes the pad. 147 kph, Yasir misses his flick and Wade doesn't collect cleanly. There is a bit of bat too, would have been out had Wade caught that
142.1
0
Starc to Yasir Shah, no run, shortish delivery outside off, Yasir sways away from the line. Good leave

END OF OVER:
142 | 5 Runs | PAK: 442/8

  • Yasir Shah31 (56b)
  • Asad Shafiq132 (201b)
  • Josh Hazlewood41-11-93-0
  • Mitchell Starc36-9-117-3
141.6
1
Hazlewood to Yasir Shah, 1 run, a full toss on middle, worked to square leg for one. Some inward shape
141.5
0
Hazlewood to Yasir Shah, no run, given! Yasir reviews. All this needs to do is clip the stumps. That does not look out. Back of a length delivery outside off, nips back in. Yasir offers no stroke and is struck outside the line, redundant because he left the ball. Two greens on HawkEye, the most significant one being the impact on stumps, which showed the ball bouncing over the stumps. Umpire Illingworth got that wrong
141.4
1
Hazlewood to Asad Shafiq, 1 run, dabbed down to third man. One more
141.3
3
Hazlewood to Yasir Shah, 3 runs, dropped? Definite chance. Full and wide outside off, Yasir slices the ball off the outside half the bat. Lyon jumps and to his left, and hardly gets a hand on it. His hands were just not in the right place. I've seen tougher taken with more ease. Should have been taken at this level

PAK tour of AUS 2016-17 News

Too close, yet far

1

No. of smaller margin of defeat for a team scoring 400+ while chasing, than Pakistan's loss by 39 runs. NZ had lost by 38 runs after making 440 in Nottingham in 1973.

PAK's strong comeback

277

Previous highest difference between PAK's 1st inns & 2nd inns (2nd minus 1st) totals v AUS before this. They had made 260 & 537 after following-on in Rawalpindi.

Shafiq's record

9

No. of centuries for Asad Shafiq at No. 6 position in Tests - the most by any player. He went past Garry Sobers who had hit eight 100s at the position.

Best at Gabba

370

Previous highest 4th inns total at Gabba, by Eng in Ashes 2006-07. Pak have gone past that score. Highest anywhere in Aus is 445 by Ind at Adelaide in 1977-78.

Younis while chasing

55.04

Younis Khan's ave in 4th inns, before this - the third-best among 27 batsmen with 1000+ runs.

Big task

0

No. of instances of teams batting more than 150 overs in the fourth innings of a Test at Gabba. There are more than 200 overs left in this Test.

Dominating Smith

7

No. of times Smith has scored a century and a fifty in the same Test, including this. Only Kallis (11), Ponting (10), Border (9) & Sangakkara (9) have done it more times.

Some respite

75

Runs added by Pakistan's last 2 wickets - 54 for 9th wkt and 21 for then 10th. They raised from 67/8 to 142. This is the 2nd-most Pak's last 2 wkts have added in Aus.

Collapsed

24

Runs added by Pakistan's 3rd to 8th wkts in this inns - the lowest for them. The previous lowest was 25 runs at WACA in 1981-82.

Younis' lean patch

16

Runs scored by Younis in his last six Test innings, including a duck in this. His scores - 0, 2, 1, 2, 11, 0.

Double attack

2

No. of times 2 visiting bowlers have taken 4+ wkts in an inns vs Aus since 2010, both this year - Abbott & Rabada in Hobart and Amir & Wahab in this Test.

Best since return

0

No. of times Amir took more than 3 wkts since his return, in 16 inns before this. He took three 3-wkt hauls.