Pakistan bowled out for 240 on Day 1 of 1st Test against Australia

BRISBANE (92 News) – Pakistan were bowled out for 240 on Day 1 of 1st Test against Australia in Brisbane. Asad Shafiq battled hard with a valiant 76, but the home team’s bowlers were exceptional, bowling Pakistan out for 240. Mitchell Starc was the pick of the bowlers with 4/52. Australia’s bowlers have endured a difficult start to the summer as Pakistan went to lunch at 0-75 but Australia make strong comeback in post-lunch session and took 5 wickets continuously on the opening morning of the first Domain Test at the Gabba. Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first against Australia in the first Test match. Pakistan captain Azhar Ali is not out on 28 after winning the toss and batting, while his partner Shan Masood has soaked up 78 balls to be unbeaten on 21. Pakistan’s first wicket fell on a score of 75 when Shan Masood got caught in the hands of Smith on the ball of Cummons by 27 runs, with fellow opener and captain Azhar Ali also at 75. As they walked, his catch caught by Burns at Hazel Wood’s ball. The third wicket of Harris Sohail lost at 77 runs, on a catch to the wicketkeeper at the ball of Stark. Babar Azam also failed to meet the expectations of the nation and on the fourth ball Hazel Wood caught the ball to Burns, he scored a run. Iftikhar Ahmed was the fifth player to be dismissed from Pakistani side, he scored 7 runs and was caught out by Labuschagne at Levin’s ball. Pakistan captain Azhar Ali is not out on 28 after winning the toss and batting, while his partner Shan Masood has soaked up 78 balls to be unbeaten on 21. It marks the first time this century that a touring team has gone to lunch without losing a wicket in the opening Test of the Australian summer. According to Fox Cricket's ball-tracking, six deliveries – or a mere 1.3 per cent of the balls bowled in the opening hour – were on target to hit the stumps. After Mitchell Starc swung the new ball early alongside Josh Hazlewood, the Australians failed to create any real chances in the opening two hours in Brisbane.  

For the first time EVER, Australia have failed to take a wicket in the first session of a Gabba Test match when bowling first #AUSvPAK

— Samuel Ferris (@samuelfez) November 21, 2019

Earlier, Australia's captain Tim Paine had confirmed Cameron Bancroft and Michael Neser were the two men not picked from the team's 13-man squad Meanwhile Pakistan have debuted 16-year-old quick Naseem Shah, making him the youngest male player to feature in a Test in Australia. However they have overlooked medium-pacer Mohammad Abbas, despite his 17 wickets at 10.58 when the two teams met in the UAE last year. Pakistan have never won a Test series in Australia, while their last victory in a Test match in the country was in 1995. Australia haven't been beaten in a Gabba Test since 1988. Pakistan XI: Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (c), Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Imran Khan. Australia XI: Joe Burns, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

Domain Test Series v Pakistan

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah. Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner First Test: November 21-25, Gabba (Seven, Fox & Kayo) Second Test: November 29 – December 3, Adelaide (d/n) (Seven, Fox & Kayo)