Pakistan vs Australia: 2nd Test Day 1 cricket live scores, blog

After fending off Pakistan in a monumental draw during the first Test, Australia will aim to take momentum into the second Test and take a series win with victory in the second Test. Join The Roar for live coverage of Day 1 from 5pm (AEDT).

The Australians really had no right to draw the first Test, but managed to bat the entire final day for the loss of only five wickets, hanging onto a tense result.

After fielding first, Australia were tasked with chasing a huge 482, and when they were 0/142 midway through the third day, the match appeared to be headed in one direction – for a draw.

In the blink of an eye though, Bilal Asif and Mohammad Abbas struck, removing the openers Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch, and then running through the rest of the order. By the time it was all said and done, the Aussies had lost 10 for 60 and 9 for 42, collpasing to be all out for 202.

Pakistan then added 6 for 181 declared, leaving Australia four and a half sessions – or 140 overs – to save the match with the total being chased way out of the question.

Things were again ticking along nicely for the openers, but then it was three quick wickets and the rot looked to have set in again as Finch was dismissed for 49, followed by the two Marsh brothers, both for ducks.

Khawaja found some support finally in Travis Head, who batted to lunch on Day 5, before Marnus Labuschagne put up a little bit of a fight. Tim Paine then joined Khawaja and the pair batted to within sight of stumps, before three more quick wickets exposed Nathan Lyon alongside Paine, with the pair hanging on grimly to the draw.

The performance of Khawaja was one to behold. Previously with a top score of just 26 in Asia, he hit 141 during the second innings, breaking the record for the highest score by an Aussie during the fourth innings in Asia.

His newfound confidence playing spin, reverse sweeping Yasir Shah with ease, was something to behold, but he needs support from the Marsh brothers if Australia are to come away with the win in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan have issues to sort out as well. They will be down on confidence after blowing the victory in Dubai, and with Yasir Shah bowling poorly, they need to come up with other tactics than “chuck it to Yasir.”

Mohammad Abbas and Bilal Asif were both strong, but they need more positive from Sarfraz Ahmed in the field and will also need to find a replacement for the injured Imam-ul-Haq.

Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Day 1 in the second Test at Abu Dhabi from 5pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

Game information

First ball: 5pm (AEDT)
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
TV: Live, Fox Sports
Online: Live, Foxtel app, Foxtel now
Radio (online): Wisden, White Line Wireless
Betting: Pakistan $1.88, Australia $3.60, draw $4.05
Overall record: Played 63, Australia 31, Pakistan 14, draw 18
Last meeting: Played 5, Pakistan 2, Australia 2, draw 1

Pakistan (squad)
Sarfraz Ahmes, (c), (wk), Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Asad Shafiq, Yasir Shah, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Rizwan

Australia (squad)
Tim Paine (c), (wk), Mitchell Marsh (vc), Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Jon Holland, Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw