Labuschagne’s resilience shines as Australia thwarts Pakistan in the second Test battle

At the end of the day's play, one player scored 44 runs off 120 balls, and another scored nine runs after almost three hours of rain interruptions. The Pakistani bowlers, taking advantage of overcast conditions, dismissed key Australian batsmen like David Warner, Usman Khawaja, and Steve Smith.

December 26, 2023

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Labuschagne’s resilience shines as Australia thwarts Pakistan in the second Test battle

At the end of the day's play, one player scored 44 runs off 120 balls, and another scored nine runs after almost three hours of rain interruptions. The Pakistani bowlers, taking advantage of overcast conditions, dismissed key Australian batsmen like David Warner, Usman Khawaja, and Steve Smith.

At the end of the day’s play, one player scored 44 runs off 120 balls, and another scored nine runs after almost three hours of rain interruptions. The Pakistani bowlers, taking advantage of overcast conditions, dismissed key Australian batsmen like David Warner, Usman Khawaja, and Steve Smith. Despite the setbacks, Marnus Labuschagne displayed patience and resilience as Australia aimed to win the three-Test series after a dominant performance in Perth.

Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, chose to bowl first on a pitch favorable to seamers. Led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Pakistani bowlers found early swing, with Warner surviving a dropped catch. Warner’s luck ran out when he made a hasty shot before lunch, resulting in a catch by slip fielder Babar Azam.

Khawaja, involved in a dispute with the ICC over expressing support for Gaza, faced challenges but managed to hit a boundary before being dismissed by Hasan Ali. With dark clouds looming, Labuschagne and Smith adopted a defensive approach, facing pressure from the bowlers before rain interrupted play.

Play resumed after the rain delay, but many spectators had left. Labuschagne and Smith struggled to score against the Pakistani bowlers. Labuschagne finally broke the defensive streak with a boundary off Aamer Jamal, while Smith survived a close lbw call. However, their partnership ended when Smith was caught after a review showed a faint edge off Jamal’s delivery, concluding a 147-ball partnership.

Last Updated: Dec 26, 2023