Australia were left with a daunting task to save the second and final Test after Younis Khan hit an epic double hundred to put Pakistan in command on Friday’s (October 31) second day.
Younis notched a memorable 213 for his fifth double hundred to steer Pakistan to 570 for 6 declared in their first innings on a flat Sheik Zayed Stadium pitch in Abu Dhabi.
At the close of play, Australia were 22 for 1 with David Warner on 16 and Nathan Lyon, the nightwatchman, on 1, still trailing by 548 runs on a day that had Misbah-ul-Haq (101), the Pakistan skipper, and Azhar Ali (109) also joining in the run feast.
Chris Rogers (5), the Australian opener, fell caught behind to Imran Khan, the paceman, putting Pakistan in a strong position to press for their first series win over Australia since 1994.
It was Younis, who hit twin hundreds in the first Test, who once again dominated Australia’s hapless bowling during his eight-and-half-hour stay, hitting 15 boundaries and two sixes. He hit Glenn Maxwell for a towering six and, in the spinner’s next over – the 150th of the innings – took a single to complete 200 runs. He was finally bowled while playing Peter Siddle across the line and was given a standing ovation by the 12,000-strong crowd and his teammates.
When on 181, Younis completed 8,000 runs in his 93rd Test, becoming the third Pakistan batsman to reach the milestone behind Javed Miandad (8832) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (8829). In all, 28 batsmen in the world have scored 8,000 or more Test runs.
Misbah had completed his hundred in style, with a reverse sweep off Maxwell. He fell shortly after for 101 off 168 balls, giving a return catch to Steve Smith to make the score 513 for 4. The skipper had hit 10 boundaries and a six while adding 181 runs with Younis for the fourth wicket, leaving Australia badly dented.
When on 63, Misbah became Pakistan’s highest scorer as captain, beating Imran Khan’s 2,408 runs. This was Misbah’s 31st Test as captain, while Imran, the legendary former allrounder, was at the helm for 48 Tests.
The Younis-Misbah stand flourished in the afternoon as the Australian bowlers toiled hard in the morning session to get only the one wicket of Azhar Ali (109). Pakistan added 101 in an extended two-and-a-half hours session due to Friday prayers after resuming at 304 for 2.
Younis added 236 with Ali, which erased Pakistan’s previous highest third wicket stand against Australia of 223 held by Javed Miandad and Taslim Arif from a 1980 match in Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Australia had another unusually sloppy day on the field as David Warner failed to hold a sharp chance at point from Younis’s push off Mitchell Johnson in the third over of the day. Younis was then batting on 112. Nine runs later, Younis edged a Peter Siddle delivery which fell short of Brad Haddin who hurt his right shoulder in an attempt to hold the catch. Haddin had to walk off the field and Warner, who replaced him behind the stumps, spurned a stumping chance off Nathan Lyon with Younis well out of his crease on 125. But Warner made amends as he took a good catch off Ali’s glance off Mitchell Starc for a consolation wicket.
Younis resplendent, Pakistan dominant
