Excellent innings by Mohammad Rizwan and Aamer Jamal rescue Pakistan on Day 1 of the final Test match against Australia. 

By PakPassion Staff (3rd January, 2024)

Pakistan's Aamir Jamal, batting at number nine, delivered an outstanding performance against Australia, scoring a career-best 82 runs. This effort was part of a crucial last-wicket stand with Mir Hamza, which not only helped Pakistan recover from an early batting collapse but also delayed Australian opener David Warner's final appearance in Test cricket to a mere end-of-day cameo.

Aamir's 82 from 97 balls, his highest score in any senior cricket format, was a significant contribution to the duo's 86-run partnership. This remarkable innings came against the backdrop of Australian captain Pat Cummins' impressive bowling. Cummins achieved his third consecutive five-wicket haul in as many innings, a record for an Australian bowler since Nathan Lyon's performance in Bangladesh in 2017.

The partnership between Aamir and Hamza was just shy of Pakistan's all-time best last-wicket stand against Australia, bringing the team close to a respectable first-innings total. Warner, eagerly awaited by the crowd for his farewell Test innings, was restricted to a brief three-minute stint at the end of the day due to Pakistan's late resistance.

Earlier, Mohammed Rizwan laid the foundation for Pakistan's fightback with a resilient 88. Following Rizwan, Aamir, whose previous best in a five-year first-class career was an unbeaten 80, took the Australian bowlers by storm. His innings included a boundary blitz with eight fours and five sixes, featuring a remarkable reverse sweep off Lyon that sailed over the fence.

The counterattack was further bolstered by a rapid 94-run partnership between Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, forcing Australia to drastically revise their strategy. The pair exploited the slow pitch at the SCG, scoring at a brisk pace and putting the Australian bowlers under pressure.

Australia's strategy of employing short-pitched bowling, which had brought them success in the final day at the MCG, initially seemed to work. It claimed Rizwan's wicket when he was tantalizingly close to a century. However, Aamir's aggressive batting, coupled with Hamza's steadfast defense, frustrated the Australian bowlers and subdued the fans who were anticipating Warner's batting.

The day's play began with Pakistan in trouble, losing both openers quickly to Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Starc's remarkable ability to strike in the opening overs was on full display, while Hazlewood's removal of debutant Saim Ayub compounded Pakistan's early woes.

Cummins continued his lethal form, breaching Babar Azam's defense for a crucial wicket. Saud Shakeel, who had been consistent in subcontinental conditions, struggled against the Australian pace, highlighting the challenge posed by the faster, bouncier Australian pitches.

Despite these setbacks, Pakistan's lower order, particularly Aamir and Hamza, mounted a significant resistance. Their partnership not only added a dramatic twist to the day's play but also set the stage for an intriguing continuation of the match. The crowd, initially eager to witness Warner's batting, was treated to a display of resilience and skill from Pakistan's tail-enders, making for an enthralling day of Test cricket.