Twitter Reactions: Pakistan-Australia keep hustling on attritional Day 2

Pakistani finished Day 2 at 132/2 after bowling out Australia for 487.

By Adreej Kumar Mitra

Updated - 15 Dec 2023, 16:09 IST

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The Optus Stadium in Perth is currently hosting the first Test of a three-match series between Australia and Pakistan. After David Warner's century headlined Day 1, Day 2 witnessed impressive performances from players of both teams.

Australia started the day at 346/5, with Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh being the overnight batters. The first session was dominated by the latter as he added 75 runs off as many deliveries. Australia lost a couple of wickets but reached 476 runs at Lunch.

Pakistan would have hoped to keep the hosts under the 500-run mark and they managed to do so as Australia were bowled out after adding just 11 runs in the post-lunch session. Aamer Jamal was rewarded for his consistency, finishing with figures of 6/111 in 20.2 overs. This was the third-best figures by a Pakistani pacer in a debut Test innings.

In the second innings, Pakistan's opening duo of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq were beaten on a number of occasions by the formidable Aussie pace troika. However, they showed commendable grit and determination and survived a 20-over phase before Tea, adding 43 runs to the total. In the third session, they continued to keep the Aussie pacers at bay before Nathan Lyon provided the initial breakthrough in the 37th over. Shafique was the batter dismissed, caught by David Warner for 42.

With 74 runs on the board, Shan Masood walked out to bat for the first time as the captain of Pakistan. He rode his luck initially before playing some delightful strokes. The southpaw scored 23 runs off the first 19 balls he faced. Masood was eventually dismissed by Mitchell Starc, three overs before the end of day's play.

Pakistan sent in nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad out to see out the remaining few overs alongside Imam. The former was exposed to 18 deliveries and did really well to hang in there till the end of day's play, barely surviving a barrage of bouncers from Starc. Pakistan are still 355 runs adrift of Australia's first-innings total of 487. With the game being in the balance, Day 3, which is referred to as the moving day in Test matches, promises to be a mouth-watering affair.

Here's how 'X' users reacted to the intense action on Day 2 of AUS-PAK 1st Test:

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