The video of Australia captain Pat Cummins dismissing star Pakistan batter Babar Azam with a beautiful delivery on the second day of the Melbourne Test is going viral on social media.
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Babar Azam came to bat when Pakistan were 124-2 in reply to Australia’s first innings total of 318 all out.
The viral video showed Pat Cummins, who was already bowling a deadly spell, bowling a back-of-a-length delivery just outside off stump. It got just enough inward-seam movement to clean bowl Pakistan’s former all-format captain.
Babar Azam looked bewildered by the delivery and kept staring at the crease.
Pakistan dismissed Australia for 318 and were making a good start to their reply on Wednesday but were reduced to 194 for six at stumps after Pat Cummins’ intervention.
Shan Masood’s side looked in fine shape at 124-1 an hour after tea but will resume on day three of the match 124 runs in arrears with hopes of a first test win in Australia since 1995 to level the series at 1-1 fading fast.
Pat Cummins (3-37) changed the day in two overs, brilliantly catching Abdullah Shafique for 62 off his own bowling and dismissing dangerman Babar Azam for one with a sublime delivery that had the Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd roaring in delight.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon also played a leading role in Australia’s fightback, breaking an obdurate opening partnership between Imam-Ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique before returning to remove Shan Masood for 54.
Shan Masood had played a gutsy captain’s innings for his eighth test half-century but frittered all his good work away when he tried to club the ball back over Nathan Lyon’s head only to balloon it to Mitchell Marsh at point.
Josh Hazlewood then chipped in to bowl Saud Shakeel for nine and Pat Cummins returned late in the session to have Agha Salman caught behind for five.
Mohammad Rizwan was unbeaten on 29 at the close of play with Aamer Jamal two not out from 26 balls at the other end.
The rain which had disrupted the opening day of the Boxing Day test stayed away but conditions still favoured the bowlers and Pakistan were able to wrap up Australia’s first innings before lunch.
Aamer Jamal led the way with 3-64 as the tourists, who have lost 15 successive tests in Australia since 1995, took the last seven wickets at the cost of 131 runs.
Marnus Labuschagne top scored with 63 but the 52 extras Pakistan conceded was a reminder of a sloppiness that Australia were always going to be happy to exploit.
Pakistan belied that tendency early in their innings, particularly as Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood put on 90 runs for the second wicket with brave and disciplined batting in the face of Australia’s world-class pace attack.
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