ABU DHABI: Pakistan lost their pair of over-night batsman Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail in the morning session of day two on the third day of the second Test against Australia in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan started their second innings on 144 for two with Azhar not out on 54 and Haris not out on 17 and a lead of 281 runs.
Haris fell victim to Nathan Lyon for 17 runs while Azhar was run out on comical fashion for 64 runs.
On Wednesday, medium pacer Mohammad Abbas registered a five-wicket haul to steer Pakistan into a dominating position in Abu Dhabi after bowling out Australia for a paltry 145 runs.
Abbas finished with five for 33 to give Pakistan a 137-run lead in the first innings on the second day at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Debutant Fakhar Zamanlifted Pakistan with a brilliant 66 following up his 94 in the first innings, before giving a return catch to Lyon who took an evasive action but still managed to hold onto the ball.
Fakhar hit seven boundaries in an enterprising knock.
Fakhar said Pakistan were in the driving seat.
“Yes, our position is good,” said Fakhar. “If we score 100-150 runs more on Thursday then with a turning wicket we have a very good chance of winning this Test.”
Fakhar said he was lucky to have played this Test.
“I was with the squad from the start but during the first Test I was about to return to Pakistan before, unfortunately, Imam-ul-Haq got injured and I got this chance of playing my first Test.”
Mohammad Hafeez, who scored a hundred in the drawn first Test, fell to a lazy shot off pacer Mitchell Starc, caught at short mid-off for six.
Earlier, Abbas and spinner Bilal Asif (3-23) wrecked Australia for 145 in their innings.
Abbas had Shaun Marsh, in the fourth over of the day, for three and Travis Head for 14 before wrapping up the innings by trapping Starc leg-before for 34.
This becomes Abbas’s third five-wicket haul in a burgeoning career of ten Tests.
Asif had removed Aaron Finch (39) and in the last over before lunch trapped Tim Paine leg-before for three.
Marnus Labuschagne offered some resistance during his 25 before falling to a freakish runout, backing up too far as a drive from Starc was deflected to the stumps by Yasir Shah with Labuschagne out of his crease.
Abbas, whose first wicket of the match made him the joint second fastest Pakistani to 50 wickets, gave Pakistan an early wicket in the fourth over of the day, removing Marsh with a catch in the slip.
He then had Head caught in the second slip to leave Australia at 56 for four.
Leg-spinner Yasir made it 75 for five with the wicket of Mitchell Marsh, caught close to the wicket for 13 before Australia lose two more to reach lunch at 91 for seven.
