The third day of the Pakistan-Australia Test series witnessed an intense tug-of-war for dominance in the Boxing Day encounter, showcasing a roller-coaster of events. Australia initially held the upper hand by swiftly dismissing Pakistan for 264, gaining a 54-run lead in the first innings.
However, their position quickly weakened as they lost two wickets in three overs just before Lunch. The situation took a drastic turn for the worse after the break, with Mir Hamza delivering consecutive lethal blows, reducing the hosts to 16/4 and teetering on the edge of a catastrophic collapse.
The Men in Green had a golden chance to seize control, but a costly fielding blunder, a recurring theme in their history, shattered their hopes. At a crucial juncture with Mitchell Marsh batting on 20 and the team’s lead at a modest 100, Aamer Jamaal’s delivery moved away from the batter, drawing a thick outside edge. The ball flew rapidly at chest height towards the first slip, seemingly a routine catch for any elite-level slip fielder.
However, Abdullah Shafique’s fumble left his teammates in disbelief as the ball burst through his grasp. Compounding the error, the ball popped over to the second slip, who had an opportunity to rectify the opener’s mistake. Unfortunately, the fielder’s casual stance prevented a timely grab, and the chance slipped away.
"It's like a crocodile jaw trying to catch a ball."
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2023
Abdullah Shafique hands Mitch Marsh a life on 20 #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/NMlTKHn3t5
Shafique had previously dropped another easy catch in the first innings and missed a straightforward chance to dismiss Usman Khawaja in the first Test. Following this latest blunder, captain Shan Masood had no choice but to replace the 24-year-old in the slip cordon with former captain Babar Azam.
As the lead extended beyond 150, criticism mounted on social media, suggesting Shafique’s errors might have cost his team the chance to break a 15-match losing streak and secure their first Test victory in Australia since 1995.