0
4
1
0
0
0
= 5
Match Details
AUS vs PAK 2nd Test, AUS vs PAK 2023-24
PAK 264(73.5)
237-1067.2
Australia won by 79 runs 🏆
318(96.5)
AUS
84.1262-10
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Inn 3
Inn 4
Milestone
1:26 PM IST, 6:56 PM Local Time | Well that's all she wrote for the Boxing Day Test folks! A riveting day of Test cricket comes to an end which saw Australia take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in this 3-match Test series!
This is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my co-commentator Akshay Bhide, and our scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal! See you on the next one!
This is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my co-commentator Akshay Bhide, and our scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal! See you on the next one!
CREX Player of the Day | Pat Cummins - The Aussie skipper completed his second 10 wicket haul of his Test career to win the game for his team. Picking up crucial wickets of Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan, Cummins broke the back of Pakistan's middle order to inspire his team to a memorable Boxing Day Test victory!
Match Bulletins Day 4:
Starc joins Carey at the crease
Australia get to their 200 in the 66th over
Starc edges one to Babar at first slip to give Afridi his fourth
Jamal removes Cummins for 16 as the Australian skipper wastes a review
Lyon hits Jamal a couple of boundaries to take the lead past 300
Jamal bounces back to clean up Lyon on 11
Drinks, Session 1: Australia - 249/9, 79 overs (Carey 42*) lead by 303 runs
Pakistan take the second new ball
Carey brings up his fifty off 96 balls with a delightful cover drive
Hamza traps Carey in front of the stumps on 53 as Australia’s innings comes to an end
Australia - 262, 84.1 Overs (Mitchell Marsh 96, Mir Hamza 4/28), lead by 316
Starc draws first blood as he dismisses Shafique on four in his third over
Masood given OUT LBW against Lyon but a successful review saves him
Starc drops a tough chance of Imam off his own bowling just before lunch
Lunch | Day 4 | Pakistan - 25/1, 9 overs (Imam 5*, Masood 12*), need 292 runs to win
Cummins traps Imam on 12 and Umpire’s Call ends his stay at the crease
Australia review for LBW against Babar but the bounce at The ‘G saves him
Drinks, Session 2: Pakistan - 68/2, 20.2 overs (Masood 33*, Babar 12*)
Skipper Masood leads from the front and brings up back-to-back fifties in this Test
Masood and Babar put 50 between them. Also, take their side past 100 in the 25th over
Cummins breaks the 61-run stand by dismissing his opposite number on 60
Tea | Day 4 | Pakistan - 129/3, 33 Overs (Babar 36*, Shakeel 10*), need 188 runs to win
Hazlewood cleans up Babar on 41 with a nip-backer
Rizwan opens his account with a massive six off Lyon
Shakeel edges one to the keeper to give Starc his second
Drinks, Session 3: Pakistan - 169/5, 49 Overs (Rizwan 15*, Salman 5*)
Carey drops Rizwan on 19 off Lyon
Pakistan bring up their 200 in the 56th over
Smith at first slip drops a diving catch of Salman on 21 in the same over off Lyon
Rizwan and Salman bring up a 50-run stand between them off 76 balls
Cummins picks up his 250th Test wicket as he removes Rizwan on 35 after a successful review
Cummins picks another as he removes Jamal with a bouncer
Play extended by half an hour as Pakistan are seven down
Cummins picks up a fifer and 10th for the match by dismissing Shaheen
Starc returns and dismisses Salman on 50
Hamza is bounced out by Starc on the very next ball as Pakistan get knocked over on 237
Pakistan - 237, 67.2 Overs (Shan Masood 60, Pat Cummins 5/49)
Australia beat Pakistan by 79 runs to take an unassailable lead in the series
Session Breakdown:
Session 1: 30.4 Overs, 100 Runs, 5 Wickets
Session 2: 24 Overs, 104 Runs, 2 Wickets
Session 3: 34.2 Overs, 108 Runs, 7 Wickets
Pat Cummins (Player of the Match and Australia Captain): "Boxing day is the biggest Test match of the year and it was a nice Christmas buildup to it.
Felt okay. They were playing nicely. Little bit twitchy when they needed less than a 100 runs but happy with the result and with the Rizwan wicket.
Try to get as many as we could, 300 was the aim and we got over that, we knew we had enough bowling to win.
They (Smith and Marsh) got us really back in the game, that was a huge partnership and swung the momentum back in our favour. Their bowlers had the tail up and that partnership helped us get back in the game. With 4/16, the dressing room was really numb. But we had the trust in the players.
The dressing room is really calm, there is trust and support and different people stand up each day.
Crazy year, it's been a memorable one. Lots of cricket. Lots of success on the field. I’m sure we will sit and reflect on as 2023 as a very special year.
An extra day off is very nice, I'm going to just chill and prepare for the next Test."
Felt okay. They were playing nicely. Little bit twitchy when they needed less than a 100 runs but happy with the result and with the Rizwan wicket.
Try to get as many as we could, 300 was the aim and we got over that, we knew we had enough bowling to win.
They (Smith and Marsh) got us really back in the game, that was a huge partnership and swung the momentum back in our favour. Their bowlers had the tail up and that partnership helped us get back in the game. With 4/16, the dressing room was really numb. But we had the trust in the players.
The dressing room is really calm, there is trust and support and different people stand up each day.
Crazy year, it's been a memorable one. Lots of cricket. Lots of success on the field. I’m sure we will sit and reflect on as 2023 as a very special year.
An extra day off is very nice, I'm going to just chill and prepare for the next Test."
Player of the Match: Pat Cummins
Shan Masood: "Like I said, we have to look at the bigger picture. That's why the smile. There were plenty of positives but if you give a quality side like Australia a sniff which we gave, we didn’t stand a chance. Maybe with the ball, maybe with the bat, maybe in the field. Dropping the in-form Marsh was a big moment but really happy with the performance.
It’s a reflection of four days. We were fortunate enough to win the toss and bowl in the favorable conditions. Cummins bowled brilliantly for them and that’s why he is the number one bowler. In the second innings, Smith and Marsh got that partnership. But this is a blueprint of how we want to play Test cricket and we will learn from the mistakes.
They (Australia) are ruthless. You just have to convert the 50s into 100s. If you give them a sniff which we did, they will make you pay.
I mean again. It’s a World Test Championship. Every Test match counts. I’m happy with how we played but it’s about the finishing touches.
Can I just mention the groundsmen. We got a wonderful track and we enjoyed playing here. There was something for both batters and bowlers and thank you to them."
It’s a reflection of four days. We were fortunate enough to win the toss and bowl in the favorable conditions. Cummins bowled brilliantly for them and that’s why he is the number one bowler. In the second innings, Smith and Marsh got that partnership. But this is a blueprint of how we want to play Test cricket and we will learn from the mistakes.
They (Australia) are ruthless. You just have to convert the 50s into 100s. If you give them a sniff which we did, they will make you pay.
I mean again. It’s a World Test Championship. Every Test match counts. I’m happy with how we played but it’s about the finishing touches.
Can I just mention the groundsmen. We got a wonderful track and we enjoyed playing here. There was something for both batters and bowlers and thank you to them."
Mitchell Marsh: "Yeah. Cricket is a funny way of working out. It was a great wicket. It kept both the batters and the bowlers in the game. Our bowling attack shown the class in the end.
(About that catch) My first call was for Smudge but eventually I ran in and took it. Heavy legs there.
I think when you have 300 to defend. It feels like 300 is a lot. When Babar was in, we know he is a class player. Rizwan also played really well. But our bowlers showed great calmness and there are a lot of players in the group who have played plenty of close games.
Four day break Howie I guess. We will take some rest and get ready for the New Year Test."
(About that catch) My first call was for Smudge but eventually I ran in and took it. Heavy legs there.
I think when you have 300 to defend. It feels like 300 is a lot. When Babar was in, we know he is a class player. Rizwan also played really well. But our bowlers showed great calmness and there are a lot of players in the group who have played plenty of close games.
Four day break Howie I guess. We will take some rest and get ready for the New Year Test."
12:52 PM IST, 6:22 PM Local Time | An extraordinary bowling performance from Australia in the last session to pick up 7 wickets and take a 2-0 lead in the 3 match Test series! They defeat a valiant Pakistan side by 79 runs in the Boxing Day Test Match!
A day of riveting cricket but let's dial it up from the beginning! Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test! But the Aussie openers ensured the home team did not fall to early pressure as the duo of Warner & Khawaja established a 90 run opening stand to put Australia in command in the early exchanges.
Post that a rain curtailed first day saw Australia post a total of 187/3 with Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head at the crease! The duo's partnership hit the 50 run mark on Day 2 but that was the end as Shaheen Afridi dismissed Head. Marnus went onto eventually register a total of 63 runs from 155 balls before Australia saw a major collapse, losing 6 wickets for 118 runs to take a lead of 318 runs in the first innings at the stroke of Lunch on Day 2.
Pakistan began their first innings in shaky fashion as Imam ul Haq was dismissed for just 10 runs with the scoreboard reading 34/1. However, Shafique and Masood had other ideas as both of them went onto score half-centuries enroute to a 90 run-stand for the second wicket.
Lyon and Cummins combined to dismiss Shafique, Babar, Masood and Salman in a flurry of wickets to leave Pakistan reeling at 170/6. It was thanks to Rizwan's 42 and late innings charge from Afridi and unbeaten Jamal that pushed Pakistan to a total of 264 all-out. Pat Cummins led the Aussie charge with a fifer and supported by Lyon's 4 wicket, Australia were able to take a lead of 54 runs at the half-way mark of the Test match.
Australia began their second innings just before lunch on Day 3 but Shaheen Afridi turned on the heat on them by dismissing Khawaja and Labuschagne to leave Australia worried at 6/2 at Lunch on Day 3. The nightmare was not over yet as Warner and Head fell quickly post lunch to leave Australia staring down defeat at 16/4 at drinks in the second session on Day 3.
Then came the turning point in the game, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith took up the mantle and blazed their way to a massive 153 run partnership to pull Australia out of deep waters. Steve Smith scored 50 runs off 176 balls to hold up one end while Mitchell Marsh kept up the scoring rate and missed out on his century by 4 runs!
Day 4 began with Australia at 187/6 and a lead of 241 runs thanks to Marsh and Smith's exploits on Day 3. Alex Carey carried on the good work for Australia, scoring a half-century of his own to power his team's lead to over 300 runs, eventually ending at 316 runs with Australia being bowled out for 262 runs before Lunch.
Pakistan had a big target to chase down to level the series and their cause was not helped by the early dismissal of Shafique. At Lunch, Pakistan's scoreboard read 25/1, requiring 292 runs to win the contest. The afternoon session of Day 4 belonged to Pakistan as Masood and Babar Azam built a 61 run-stand for the 3rd wicket with Masood going on to score back-to-back half-centuries in this Test match.
Pat Cummins was not ready to give up just yet, the Aussie skipper took matters into his own hands by breaking the crucial partnership and dismissing Shan Masood for 60 runs off 71 balls to bring his side back into the game.
At Tea, the equation read, Pakistan - 129/3 and needing 188 runs to win the game. It could have gone anywhere from here as the match was set for an exciting finish. The Aussie bowlers came out all guns blazing in the final session of the day, led by Hazelwood's dismissal of Babar Azam and Cummins and Starc's fiery bowling, which was too hot to handle for Pakistan's lower middle order and tail-enders.
After a bit of resilience shown by Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan, Cummins turned the game on it's head yet again by dismissing Rizwan with Pakistan now at 219/6 and 98 runs away from victory. He soon followed it up with the wicket of Aamer Jamal for a duck to allow the umpires to add an extra half-an-hour in search of a result on Day 4.
Starc and Cummins combined to clean up the tail and WIN the series for Australia! Cummins ended the match with a 10 wicket haul, picking up a fifer in the second innings as well.
A day of riveting cricket but let's dial it up from the beginning! Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test! But the Aussie openers ensured the home team did not fall to early pressure as the duo of Warner & Khawaja established a 90 run opening stand to put Australia in command in the early exchanges.
Post that a rain curtailed first day saw Australia post a total of 187/3 with Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head at the crease! The duo's partnership hit the 50 run mark on Day 2 but that was the end as Shaheen Afridi dismissed Head. Marnus went onto eventually register a total of 63 runs from 155 balls before Australia saw a major collapse, losing 6 wickets for 118 runs to take a lead of 318 runs in the first innings at the stroke of Lunch on Day 2.
Pakistan began their first innings in shaky fashion as Imam ul Haq was dismissed for just 10 runs with the scoreboard reading 34/1. However, Shafique and Masood had other ideas as both of them went onto score half-centuries enroute to a 90 run-stand for the second wicket.
Lyon and Cummins combined to dismiss Shafique, Babar, Masood and Salman in a flurry of wickets to leave Pakistan reeling at 170/6. It was thanks to Rizwan's 42 and late innings charge from Afridi and unbeaten Jamal that pushed Pakistan to a total of 264 all-out. Pat Cummins led the Aussie charge with a fifer and supported by Lyon's 4 wicket, Australia were able to take a lead of 54 runs at the half-way mark of the Test match.
Australia began their second innings just before lunch on Day 3 but Shaheen Afridi turned on the heat on them by dismissing Khawaja and Labuschagne to leave Australia worried at 6/2 at Lunch on Day 3. The nightmare was not over yet as Warner and Head fell quickly post lunch to leave Australia staring down defeat at 16/4 at drinks in the second session on Day 3.
Then came the turning point in the game, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith took up the mantle and blazed their way to a massive 153 run partnership to pull Australia out of deep waters. Steve Smith scored 50 runs off 176 balls to hold up one end while Mitchell Marsh kept up the scoring rate and missed out on his century by 4 runs!
Day 4 began with Australia at 187/6 and a lead of 241 runs thanks to Marsh and Smith's exploits on Day 3. Alex Carey carried on the good work for Australia, scoring a half-century of his own to power his team's lead to over 300 runs, eventually ending at 316 runs with Australia being bowled out for 262 runs before Lunch.
Pakistan had a big target to chase down to level the series and their cause was not helped by the early dismissal of Shafique. At Lunch, Pakistan's scoreboard read 25/1, requiring 292 runs to win the contest. The afternoon session of Day 4 belonged to Pakistan as Masood and Babar Azam built a 61 run-stand for the 3rd wicket with Masood going on to score back-to-back half-centuries in this Test match.
Pat Cummins was not ready to give up just yet, the Aussie skipper took matters into his own hands by breaking the crucial partnership and dismissing Shan Masood for 60 runs off 71 balls to bring his side back into the game.
At Tea, the equation read, Pakistan - 129/3 and needing 188 runs to win the game. It could have gone anywhere from here as the match was set for an exciting finish. The Aussie bowlers came out all guns blazing in the final session of the day, led by Hazelwood's dismissal of Babar Azam and Cummins and Starc's fiery bowling, which was too hot to handle for Pakistan's lower middle order and tail-enders.
After a bit of resilience shown by Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan, Cummins turned the game on it's head yet again by dismissing Rizwan with Pakistan now at 219/6 and 98 runs away from victory. He soon followed it up with the wicket of Aamer Jamal for a duck to allow the umpires to add an extra half-an-hour in search of a result on Day 4.
Starc and Cummins combined to clean up the tail and WIN the series for Australia! Cummins ended the match with a 10 wicket haul, picking up a fifer in the second innings as well.
Akshay: Australia just proving why they are the World Champions!!! Let it sink in folks. Half an hour ago, Pakistan were the favorites to win this Test. Cummins steps up, bowls an incredible spell which helps them knock over Pakistan on 237 to win the Boxing Day Test by 79 runs. They take an unassailable lead in the series and finish an incredible year with a win.
67.2 M Starc to M Hamza
W WICKET! CAUGHT! BANG BANG! Starc pulls out all the stops and WINS the series for AUSTRALIA! What an incredible bowling performance this has been in the last session! Over the wicket, bangs it in short, on the stumps, Hamza is unable to deal with it and the ball flies off the top edge for Smith to put in a forward dive at slips and sink Pakistan!
Commentary