In sweltering Western Australia, Pakistan battled hard on Friday against a formidable Australian pace attack after the home team notched a respectable total of 487 runs in their first innings. During the second session of Day 2, the Men in Green struggled to score, maintaining a rate just above two runs per over.
Imam ul Haq adopted a cautious approach, hitting only one boundary in his initial 100 balls. On the other hand, Abdullah Shafique, while seizing occasional loose deliveries, found himself near a half-century when a lack of vigilance almost led to a bizarre dismissal.
In the 35th over, Shafique faced Nathan Lyon and skillfully defended a spinning delivery to Marnus Labuschagne stationed at the customary short leg position. Labuschagne, in an unexpected move akin to a no-look pass in football, casually flicked the ball to wicket-keeper Alex Carey without looking.
This clever maneuver was designed to catch Shafique off guard, as Carey discreetly waited for the batter to adjust his position before flicking the bails at the opportune moment. However, luck wasn’t on their side as the bails only slightly shifted without dislodging, despite replays showing Shafique’s back foot momentarily off the ground.
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— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 15, 2023
A bit to unpack here as Alex Carey comes ever-so-close to taking the bails off behind the stumps #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/QVQuo4pJJB
Labuschagne reacted with a loud groan, closing his eyes in disbelief and displaying a look of distress. The slip cordon also sprang to their feet, while Carey sported a sheepish grin, repeatedly insisting he had made contact with the stumps. However, the decision didn’t favor them. Amid an otherwise slow day in Perth, the Twitterati swiftly caught wind of the dramatic moment unfolding on the field.