Watch: Mitchell Starc sledges Babar Azam in third Pakistan-Australia Test
- By Raza Haidery -
- Jan 05, 2024
A video of Pakistan batter Babar Azam and Australia pacer Mitchell Starc’s verbal exchange in the third and final Test in Sydney is going viral.
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The viral video showed Pakistan opening batter Saim Ayub leaving Mitchell Starc’s delivery.
The Australia pacer had a few words with Babar Azam as he went to collect his hat and sweater from the on-field umpire. They both walked away after the banter.
Starc bro BABAR se backchodi bardasht nhi krta. 😡#BabarAzam𓃵 #BabarAzam pic.twitter.com/1oYK60om8d
— Anas Tweets (@tweeets_by_anas) January 5, 2024
Aamer Jamal took 6-69 as Pakistan claimed a slender first-innings lead in the third test against Australia on Friday but the home bowlers hit right back to leave the match in the balance heading into the final two days of the series.
Paceman Josh Hazlewood (4-9) tipped the scales towards the home side with three wickets in the penultimate over of the day to leave Pakistan reeling on 68-7 with a lead of 82 runs.
Mohammad Rizwan, who had made six not out, and Aamer Jamal, who had yet to score, will resume on Saturday looking to set Australia a more imposing fourth-innings target on a deteriorating pitch.
Pakistan’s bowlers delivered 33 dot balls at one stage as Australia, who had resumed on 166-2, took their time in their pursuit of the tourists’ 313.
Steve Smith departed for 38 and Marnus Labuschagne (60) joined him in the dressing room before lunch, undone by a peach of a delivery from spinner Agha Salman that clattered into his wickets.
Seamer Aamer Jamal, whose brilliant rearguard 82 was the highlight of day one, got in on the act by removing Travis Head lbw for 10 and spinner Sajid Khan bowled Alex Carey for 38 just before tea to leave the hosts on 289-6.
Australia would have been confident of a first-innings lead but Aamer Jamal came out firing after the break to secure his second six-wicket haul of the series after taking 6-111 on debut in the first test in Perth.
The 27-year-old, playing only his third Test, took four wickets in just seven balls, first winkling out Mitchell Marsh for 54 caught behind.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both went for ducks and Nathan Lyon managed just five runs as Australia gave up their last four wickets for 10 runs to be dismissed for 299, a deficit of 14 runs.
Pakistan are looking to end a losing streak of 16 tests in Australia since their last win in 1995 but quickly discovered that there was a long way to go yet.
Abdullah Shafique’s miserable series continued when he was bowled by an absolute jaffa from Mitchell Starc in the first over to make it a pair of ducks in the match.
Skipper Shan Masood went for a golden duck two balls later, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood, as the post-tea fireworks continued and Pakistan slumped to 1-2.
Debutant Saim Ayub settled the innings with Babar Azam before being trapped in front for 33 by Nathan Lyon. Babar Azam followed for 23, caught behind off Head’s spin and then came Josh Hazlewood’s devastating late spell.
Related – Shan Masood pins hopes on Babar Azam for third Australia Test