Babar, Shafique Lead Pakistan's Fightback Against Australia

Karachi: Skipper Babar Azam (102no) and Abdullah Shafique (72no) led Pakistan's fightback on the fourth day in the ongoing second Test against Australia, here on Tuesday.

Azam and Shafique stitched an unbeaten 171-run stand for the third-wicket and took Pakistan to 192/2 at stumps on Day 4. The hosts are now 314 runs away from a mountainous 506-run target.

Australia resumed the day on 81/1, and carried on until Marnus Labuschagne (44) chopped one on while attempting a pull off Shaheen Afridi 25 minutes into the day's play. The visitors added 16 runs in 5.2 overs to declare their second innings at 97/2, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 44.

In reply, Pakistan openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq managed to see through a brief new-ball burst from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, before Australia switched to spin in just the fifth over. The move worked instantly as Nathan Lyon dismissed Imam for the second time in the Test, this time leg-before with one that straightened through with the angle.

Lyon and Mitchell Swepson generated turn and extra bounce for the next 14 overs, with occasional ones keeping low. However, Shafique and Azhar Ali remained solid as Pakistan stood at 18/1 from 21 overs at lunch, an ICC report said.

Brief Scores: Australia 556/9 decl (Usman Khawaja 160, Alex Carey 93; Faheem Ashraf 2-55, Sajid Khan 2-167) & 97/2 decl (Marnus Labuschagne 44, Usman Khawaja 44 not out) lead Pakistan 148 (Babar Azam 36; Mitchell Starc 3-29, Mitchell Swepson 2-32) & 104/2 (Babar Azam 102 not out, Abdullah Shafique 71 no) by 314 runs. 

Also read: India Beat Sri Lanka By 238 Runs To Win Series 2-0

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