Imam and Azhar hammer big tons as Pakistan declare innings at 476-4

RAWALPINDI: Veteran batsman Azhar Ali and opener Imamul Haq hammered big hundreds as Pakistan dominated Australia on the second day of their opening Test at Rawalpindi Stadium here on Saturday. Azhar knocked 185 and Imam a career-best 157 to guide Pakistan to 476 for the loss of four scalps against a hapless Australian attack on a placid and unresponsive pitch. Skipper Babar Azam declared the innings an hour before close in the hope of an early wicket, but Australia closed the day on five without loss after bad light ended play with 15 overs remaining.Left-handed opener Usman Khawaja scored five, while David Warner was yet to get off the mark. Australia will need another 272 runs to avoid the follow-on against Pakistan’s wily spinners who are used to the pitch conditions.

The day began on a sombre note as players paid tribute to the legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne, who died of a suspected heart attack in Thailand Friday, with a minute’s silence.Players from both teams also wore black arm bands, while the handful of early-morning spectators in the stands also stood in respect.

Pakistan added just 57 runs at snail’s pace in the morning session. Imam was the slowest of the Pakistan pair, adding just six runs in the first hour and not hitting a boundary until the 90th minute.He was lucky to survive a caught-behind appeal on 143 off Lyon that the Australians didn’t challenge, when replays showed it hit the bat.

But Azhar put on a solid 208-run stand for the second wicket with Imam and then another 101 for the third wicket with Azam, who was run out for 36.Azhar was finally caught reverse sweeping part-time spinner Marnus Labuschagne after batting for just four minutes under nine hours. Mohammad Rizwan (29) and Iftikhar Ahmed (13) remained not out. Rizwan reached another milestone by completing 1000 Test runs.The star player achieved the feat during his not-out innings in the ongoing first Test against Australia at Rawalpindi. Rizwan took 20 Test matches to reach the mark, and has seven fifties and one hundred at an average of 43.52.

For Australia’s pace-cum-spin attack it was a hard toil as Labuschagne (1-53), Cummins (1-62) and Nathan Lyon (1-161) were amongst wickets. Spearheads Mitchell Starc (0-71) and Josh Hazlewood (0-53) went wicket-less. Pakistan lost only Imam in the first two sessions as they added 149 runs after resuming the day on 245-1. Imam completed 150 before he was trapped leg-before by Cummins soon after lunch. Imam, who unsuccessfully reviewed the decision, batted for nearly nine hours and hit 16 boundaries and two sixes. Azhar lifted Lyon towards deep mid-on to complete his 19th century in his 92nd Test — his fourth against Australia in 12 matches.Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998 for security reasons.The tourists will play three Tests, as many one-day internationals and a single T20I.