Questions were raised when Australian captain Pat Cummins decided to declare the innings on Day 4 when his side had a lead of 350 runs. The declaration was brave but it proved to be exactly what his side needed as they ended up winning by 115 runs on the final day to win the three-match Test series.
Heading into the series-deciding Test in Lahore, both sides would’ve been conscious about getting a result at any cost. The previous two Tests played on non-competitive cricket pitches had yielded no winners and a draw in the final Test would’ve seen Australia’s first Test tour of Pakistan in 24 years end in a dull stalemate.
Australia had already put their stamp on proceedings with a typical dominant display with the bat in the first innings. Usman Khawaja extended his purple patch with a knock of 91 runs while Steve Smith, Cameron Green and Alex Carey scored well-timed half-centuries.
Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who both picked up four-wicket-hauls could do little to avoid the onslaught from Australian batsmen as they scored 391 runs in the first innings.
In response, the Pakistan top-order shrugged off the quick dismissal of Imam-ul-Haq to begin the run-chase in fine fashion. Abdullah Shafique scored 81 runs while Azhar Ali and Babar Azam added 145 runs together.
The dismissal of Ali proved to be cataclysmic for Pakistan as they lost quick wickets and captain Babar could only watch with disappointment from the other end. Cummins and Mitchell Starc ran through the batting unit and picked up nine wickets combined to bowl out Pakistan for 268, thus giving Australia a precious lead of 123 runs.
Khawaja rubbed salt into the wounds of the Pakistan bowling unit once again with his knock of 104 not out in 178 deliveries. The Pakistan-born has been one of the most consistent Test batters this year and was deservedly awarded the Player of the Series for his fine performances on the tour.
David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne also played fine knocks, stretching Australia’s lead before Cummins took a bold decision to declare in order to give the bowling unit the time to get a result.
For a while, it seemed like Pakistan would be able to get away with another draw following significant resistance from the top order. Imam-ul-Haq and Azam scored fifties, but once Babar’s wicket fell, Pakistan collapsed like a house of cards once again with Nathan Lyon taking a fifer to seal the match by 115 runs.
