Stumps Day 3 - Australia 84-2, leading by 300 runs
In the third innings after three days, that’s our position. Pakistan batted doggedly through much of the first session, losing only the nightwatchman Shahzad as Babar settled in with Imam. But just before lunch a rush of wickets undid that good work – Babar nicking one from Marsh, Imam stumped charging Lyon, and Sarfaraz losing his off stump to a Starc pearler.
That left Pakistan with way too much to do, although Shakeel and Salman chipped in with 28 apiece. They were bowled out 216 behind, Lyon taking three wickets as the Australians shared those around. Then there was some interest as Warner and Labuschagne fell before Australia had more than five runs on the board, but Smith and Khawaja quenched that small tendril of smoke before it became fire.
Australia will resume tomorrow with the game in their hands, looking for a declaration at some point unless Pakistan’s bowlers can do something dramatic. We’ll see you then.
33rd over: Australia 84-2 (Khawaja 34, Smith 43) Shaheen bowls short to Smith, unsurprisingly, who ducks one ball then drops another away to short third for a run, taking the lead to 300. Khawaja ducks a couple more, and that is that.
