Pakistan have Australia in a headlock and it might be just a matter of time before they apply the battle-ending choke-hold in the deciding Test in Abu Dhabi.
Australia were shot out for 145 in their first innings, and Pakistan - already leading by 137 - posted 144-2 in the second essay before stumps were drawn at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
With Azhar Ali (54) and Haris Sohail (17) still at the crease, the hosts are strong favourites to win the second and final Test and clinch the series 1-0.
Fakhar Zaman (66), joint top-scorer with captain Sarfraz Ahmed on 94 in Pakistan's first innings, produced another excellent knock in only his first Test, sharing a 91-run stand for the second wicket with Azhar.
Fakhar, who became the first Pakistan opener to score two fifties on debut, said his team needed to double what they already have posted in order to put themselves in a position to win.
“I think our position is great as the track has started to deteriorate,” the left-hander pointed out. “If we can add 150 more to the total then we will have a strong grip over this match.”
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Australia opener Aaron Finch, who dug in for an 83-ball 39 and was sixth out, acknowledged batting last would be an unenviable task but appreciated the quality of the pitch.
“There's definitely going to be some challenges there for us in the second dig,” he said.
“I think it's been a pretty good wicket so far. We saw yesterday some spin early from [Australia off-spinner] Nathan Lyon. There was a touch of moisture in the wicket and I think that's why the spin was there.
“And now it's starting to dry out and get a little bit powdery, but I think underneath the surface it's not quite as hard as what we expected.
“There's a little bit of plainness and that's where the seam is coming from, and a tiny bit of grass. All in all, it's been a pretty fair wicket so far, they've just played better than us for the first two days.”
Finch said he was encouraged by his team's bowling effort on Wednesday.
“I thought the way that we bowled in the last session today was outstanding," he said. “Obviously Nathan created a couple of chances and was outstanding.
"I thought we bowled exceptionally well and just didn't quite get the rewards we were after."
The right-hander conceded Australia may have to change their gameplan on Thursday.
“They played positive cricket so I think in the morning it's about still being patient, trying to control the scoreboard as much as we can," he said.
"But wickets, and back-to-back wickets, are going to be important to stay in the game.”
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Read more:
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Sarfraz Ahmed waiting on an injury assessment after Pakistan fight back in Abu Dhabi
WATCH: Steve Nelmes lists five of the best - or rather, most freakish - short leg catches
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Earlier, Pakistan fast bowler Mohammed Abbas grabbed a career-best 5-33 as Australia collapsed from their overnight score of 20-2 to 145 all out shortly after lunch.
Abbas grabbed the first two wickets to fall in the morning to add to the two he had already accounted for on Tuesday. He completed the third five-for of his career by trapping Mitchell Starc lbw for 34 with a yorker.
Australia lost Shaun Marsh (3) for the addition of 16 runs, as Sohail held on to a low catch at first slip for Abbas’s third wicket in his second over of the morning.
He struck again after coming around the wicket to have the left-hander Travis Head (14) caught at second slip by Asad Shafiq.
Spinners Yasir Shah and Bilal Asif then took four wickets between them to leave Australia tottering at 91-7 by lunch. Yasir had Mitchell Marsh (13) edging a ball of a leg-break that was going away from him to the safe hands of Asad at first slip.
Off-spinner Bilal sent back Finch and captain Tim Paine (3).
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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THE BIO
Age: 30
Favourite book: The Power of Habit
Favourite quote: "The world is full of good people, if you cannot find one, be one"
Favourite exercise: The snatch
Favourite colour: Blue
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GAC GS8 Specs
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Specs
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The specs
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No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Infiniti QX80 specs
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BMW M5 specs
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Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
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Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The view from The National
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
