Azhar Ali piled on the runs for Pakistan before falling just short of a double century as the hosts dominated day two of the first Test against Australia.
This has been a tough start to the three-match series for Australia, with Pakistan totting up 245-1 on day one, followed by the jarring news of Shane Warne's death.
On Saturday, Pakistan kept Australia in the field for a long time once again, declaring on 476-4 shortly before stumps and imposing a stranglehold on the contest.
Azhar reached 185 before attempting an ambitious reverse sweep and paying a high price for failing to make the intended powerful contact, an unexpected misstep.
Rather than sending the ball soaring over the in-field, Azhar looped up a top edge to Cameron Green at short third man to give part-time spinner Marnus Labuschagne a prized wicket.
It made for a disappointing end to a stellar knock from the 37-year-old Azhar, whose 19th Test century proved to be the fourth highest of his Pakistan career.
He had been 64 not out overnight and reached three figures by taking on Nathan Lyon, just about clearing the leg-side field with a blow that was not quite middled but nevertheless raced away to the boundary.
Imam-ul-Haq had earlier advanced from his overnight 132 not out to 157 before he was pinned lbw by Australia captain Pat Cummins, a review only confirming the obvious.
Labuschagne ran out home captain Babar Azam for 36 with a direct hit, after a chancy attempted single, but it was another day to forget for the tourists, who reached 5-0 from one over before bad light ended proceedings.
Azhar puts Pakistan in pole position
This was a special innings from the Pakistan veteran, falling just short of the 205 not out he scored in the first innings in Melbourne in December 2016, which remains his highest score against Australia. Remarkably, Australia still managed to pull off an innings victory in that match, but such a prospect seems highly improbable this time.
Azhar, whose latest innings contained 15 fours and three sixes, also belongs to the exclusive club of players with a Test triple century, having made an unbeaten 302 against West Indies six years ago in Dubai.
Putting the pitch in perspective
It should become clear on Sunday whether this was a match-defining effort by Pakistan, or whether the pitch is likely to result in a high-scoring stalemate. It was frustrating to the home side that they could only get in one over at the Australian openers before the umpires called a halt to the action.
Pakistan have won seven of their last eight men's Tests including their last three on the bounce, with only India (8) picking up more wins in the format than Pakistan (7) since the beginning of 2021.
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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