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Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, once again demonstrated his excellent bowling skills on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, intervening just when Pakistan seemed to have firm control over their innings. Abdullah Shafique, cruising at 62, posed a challenge, but Cummins showcased remarkable reflexes, completing a challenging return catch that required something special.
Pat Cummins’ spectacular catch of Abdullah Shafique
On the last delivery of the 35th over in Pakistan’s first innings, Cummins delivered a well-directed good length ball that swerved back. Shafique, attempting a forward lunge, pushed a bit too early, and Cummins executed an absolute screamer in his follow-through, securing the catch brilliantly. This stunning one-handed grab not only disrupted the 90-run partnership between Shafique and captain Shan Masood for the second wicket but also initiated a batting collapse for Pakistan, resulting in the loss of additional wickets, including the crucial wicket of Babar Azam.
Here’s the video:
Brilliant from Cummins! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/0gc6y2yXcV
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2023
Also READ: Australian veteran opener David Warner identifies potential successor for his Test spot
Marnus Labuschagne’s resilience amidst Australia’s woes
Earlier, in the morning session, Australia encountered a challenging period, losing seven wickets for just 131 runs after resuming from an overnight score of 187/3. The team was eventually bowled out for 318 in their first innings against Pakistan. Marnus Labuschagne showed resilience and notched up his fifty but was dismissed by Aamer Jamal shortly after reaching 63, as Jamal finished off with 3/64. The other Pakistani pacers, Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali, each picked two wickets, contributing to the successful bowling effort against the Australian batting lineup.
