Karachi, Pakistan — Opener
Usman Khawaja was just 14 short of a maiden century
in the country of his birth as Australia reached 172–2 at tea on the opening
day of the second Test against Pakistan on Saturday.
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Khawaja was unbeaten on 86 with
Steve Smith on 40 after
the pair steadied the Australian innings after Pakistan dismissed David Warner
(36) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) in quick succession at the end of the first
session at Karachi's National Stadium.
Having fallen three runs short of a hundred in the drawn
first Test in
Rawalpindi, Khawaja has anchored Australia's innings after they
won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch, hitting 11 boundaries, and one
six.
On the other end, Smith has been cautious, playing the
ball on merit and striking four boundaries at a strike rate of under 40.
Pakistan's bowlers maintained a nagging line in the
post-lunch session, conceding just 20 runs in the last 14 overs.
All-rounder Faheem Ashraf — recalled after missing the first
Test due to injury — provided the first breakthrough before lunch, getting the
ball to nip away slightly and forcing Warner to edge the ball to keeper
Mohammad Rizwan.
Labuschagne was run out for nought soon after, lasting
just nine deliveries. The top-ranked batter in Test cricket fell to a direct
hit from Sajid Khan while attempting a quick single.
Warner, whose last six innings against Pakistan included
four centuries and two fifties, had looked dangerous and greeted off-spinner
Sajid into the attack with two sixes.
Australian made one change for the match, with leg-spinner
Mitchell Swepson is making his Test debut in place of pacer
Josh Hazlewood,
while Pakistan have brought in Hasan Ali and Ashraf.
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