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 clinched a first series win in Pakistan since 1998 after winning the final Test
Australia captain Pat Cummins clean bowled No 11 Naseem Shah to secure victory on the fifth day.
Resuming on 0-73, and entering the final session at 5-190, 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 3-227. Pakistan had conceded a decisive 123-run lead after scoring 268 in its first innings in reply to Australia´s 391.
Nathan Lyon found plenty of turn and bounce from a fifth-day wicket in Lahore
Australia’s leg-spinner finished with figures of 5-83 from 37 overs in Lahore
‘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.
Opener Imam-ul-Haq (70) and captain Babar Azam (55) scored fighting half centuries but the rest of Pakistan´s batters crumbled against the menacing reverse swing of Cummins, who took 3-23, and the sharp spin of Lyon.
Source : dailymail
