During the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, on the third day’s tea break, Australia tallied 107 runs for the loss of 4 wickets.
On the third day, Pakistan kicked off their innings at 194 runs for 6 wickets but managed only 68 additional runs before being all out, leaving Australia with a 54-run lead. Mohammad Rizwan scored 42, Shaheen Shah Afridi 21, with Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza adding 2 runs each, staying not out at 33 runs. Pat Cummins claimed 5 wickets, Nathan Lyon 4, and Josh Hazlewood 1 for Australia.
Australia’s second innings didn’t start well as Usman Khawaja and Travis Head departed for 0, while David Warner managed just 6 runs, and Marnos Labushin scored 4. Mitchell Marsh secured 57, and Steve Smith contributed 26, standing at the crease. Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Mir Hamza took 2 wickets each.
Moving to the second day, Australia commenced their innings at 187 runs for 3 wickets but concluded at 131 runs, losing 7 players in the first session. Aamir Jamal took 3 wickets, while Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza, and Hasan Ali grabbed 2 each, and Salman Ali Agha secured 1 wicket for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s first innings witnessed Imam-ul-Haq leaving after scoring 10, followed by Abdullah Shafiq and captain Shan Masood building a 90-run partnership. Abdullah contributed 62 runs, Shan scored 54, while Babar Azam fell for just 1 run. Saud Shakeel managed 9 runs, and Salman Ali Agha scored 5. Mohammad Rizwan reached 29, and Aamir Jamal was at 2 runs. Pat Cummins claimed 3 wickets, Nathan Lyon 2, and Josh Hazlewood 1 for Australia.
On the first day, after winning the toss, Australia scored 90 runs in the opening partnership before David Warner departed for 38 runs. Usman Khawaja followed, leaving at 42 runs for the second wicket. Marnus Labuschagne was at 14, and Steven Smith was at 2 before rain halted play. Post-resumption, the duo added 40 runs, with Smith reaching 26 before getting caught out by Aamir Jamal.
By the end of the first day’s play, Marnus Labuschagne was batting at 44, and Travis Head was at 9 runs. Pakistan’s Hasan Ali, Aamir Jamal, and Agha Salman secured a wicket each, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mir Hamza remained wicketless.
