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Published 13:56 IST, December 29th 2023

Things only Pakistan can do! PAK's 'iconic' fielding gifts AUS 5 runs in 1 ball with no boundaries

Due to a careless error by Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan gave up five runs without a boundary. Australia beat Pakistan by 79 runs and leads series by 2-0.

Reported by: Aryan Suraj Chadha
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Pakistan's major fielding error against Australia. | Image: X/screengrab
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Australia secured a commanding 79-run victory over Pakistan in the second Test match from 26th to 29th December, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. In the first innings, Australia posted 318, with Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja contributing significantly. Pakistan replied with 264, led by Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood. Australia then scored 262 in their second innings, with Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey as top scorers, while Pakistan managed 237 in their chase, with notable performances from Shan Masood and Salman Ali Agha. Pat Cummins starred with the ball for Australia, securing the Player of the Match award. The match took place at the MCG.

3 things you need to know 

  • Australia beat Pakistan in the 2nd Test by 79 runs 
  • Australia leads the series by 2-0 
  • Pakistan didn't perform well against Australia 

Also Read: Temba Bavuma ruled out, Dean Elgar to take over

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Pakistan makes major blunder against Australia 

Due to a wave of trolling following their poor fielding performance in the second Test of their tour to Australia, the Pakistan cricket team is once again in the news for all the wrong reasons. The current incident has only increased the spotlight surrounding the team's ongoing fielding issues, which have been criticised. This was an unexpected turn of events where five runs were conceded without a boundary or no-ball from a single delivery.

The awful incident started when Australian skipper Pat Cummins skillfully drove an in-swinger from Aamer Jamal into cover. After a short sprint, Hasan Ali caught the ball and hurled it back towards the bowler's end. But things took a terrible turn when Shaheen Afridi, who was positioned to catch the throw, didn't catch the ball. The red leather then sped in the direction of the boundary, but Imam-ul-Haq, sensing the danger, ran with determination and managed to intercept the ball just before it reached the rope.

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Imam-ul-Haq tried, but the harm was already done. Taking advantage of the fielding error, Cummins and his partner Alex Carey ran quickly between the wickets to score five runs. This not only lost Pakistan valuable runs but also became a target of criticism, highlighting the pressing need for Pakistan's fielding abilities at the international level to be improved.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma on struggling pacer after SA loss

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In the second Test, Australia easily defeated Pakistan, displaying outstanding performance in every element of the game. The Australian team's excellent batting in both innings, which featured noteworthy performances from Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne, established a sturdy foundation. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc's outstanding bowling efforts, which destroyed Pakistan's batting order, further enhanced this. With a commanding performance, Australia won comprehensively by a margin of 79 runs, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. This spectacular victory once again confirms Australia's strength and capacity to establish domination on the international cricket scene.  

13:51 IST, December 29th 2023