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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Ton-up Khawaja helps Australia save draw against Pakistan

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DUBAI: Opener Usman Khawaja hit a fighting hundred to foil Pakistan and help Australia escape with a draw in the first Test in Dubai on Thursday.


The left-hander hit a solid 141 for his seventh Test hundred, while skipper Tim Paine (61 not out) and Travis Head (72) also hit half centuries as Australia finished at 362-8 late in the day with lights coming on at Dubai stadium.


After Khawaja was dismissed with 14.3 overs left and Yasir Shah quickly removed Mitchell Starc (one) and Peter Siddle (nought), Paine and number ten Nathan Lyon (five not out) survived 12.1 overs.


Both had some anxious moments before players shook hands with one ball to go in leg-spinner Yasir’s final over. Yasir had shaken the Australian innings with 4-114 but Australia clung on. They have now won two and drawn two of their 16 Tests in Asia since 2012.


Australia’s hero was Khawaja, who started the day on 50 not out as Australia resumed on 136-3.


Khawaja and Head added 79 before lunch as Pakistan failed to take a wicket in the first session. The pair eventually put on an invaluable 132 runs for the fourth wicket.


Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan but moved to Australia as a child, batted for eight hours 44 minutes and faced 302 balls before he was sixth man out in the final session. He was trapped leg-before sweeping Yasir.


Pakistan started the day needing seven wickets to win but nothing worked for skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, despite multiple bowling changes.


Pakistan could have had Head leg-before off leg-spinner Yasir on 44, but Sarfraz did not review umpire Richard Kettleborough’s not out decision. Replays showed the ball was hitting the stumps.


The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from October 16. Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq will miss the match after he suffered a fractured finger fielding on Thursday. — AFP


Scoreboard


Pakistan 1st innings 482


Australia 1st innings 202


Pakistan 2nd innings 181-6 declared


Australia 2nd innings


A Finch lbw M Abbas 49


U Khawaja lbw Yasir 141


S Marsh c Sarfraz b Abbas 0


M Marsh lbw Abbas 0


T Head lbw Hafeez 72


M Labuschagne lbw Yasir 13


T Paine not out 61


M Starc c Azam b Yasir 1


P Siddle lbw Yasir 0


N Lyon not out 5


Extras: (b 13, lb 4, nb 3) 20


Total: (for eight wkts; 139.5 overs) 362


Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-87, 3-87, 4-219, 5-252, 6-331, 7-333, 8-333


Bowling: Abbas 27-7-56-3, Hafeez 6-0-29-1, Yasir 43.5-9-114-4, Riaz 16-3-42-0, Asif 37-8-87-0, Sohail 9-1-16-0, Shafiq 1-0-1-0


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