Perth, 17 December 2023: Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat against Australia at Perth Stadium, in the first game of the three-Test series. After being asked to chase 450 in the fourth innings, Pakistan folded for a measly 89 in 30.2 overs, losing the Perth Test by 360 runs.
Australia resumed from their overnight score of 84-2 with Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja on the crease. Khurram Shahzad struck early in the day to remove Smith (45, 87b, 3x4s, 1x6), who fell to the debutant for the second time in the game. Travis Head, who replaced Smith on the crease, was dismissed by Aamir Jamal shortly after, to bring the equation to 107-4 in 42.3 overs.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh hit an unbeaten half-century (63 not out, 68b, 7x4s, 2x6s), while batting alongside Khawaja (90, 190b, 9x4s) to take Australia’s second innings-total to 233, courtesy of a solid 126-run stand. The partnership came to a halt when Khawaja was caught by Babar Azam on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s bowling.
With the fifth wicket down, Australian skipper Pat Cummins signaled a declaration with his side leading by a mammoth 449 runs.
Set an improbable target of 450, Pakistan lost their way early in the chase. Abdullah Shafique edged the ball to be caught behind off Mitchell Starc in the first over. Next batter in, Pakistan captain Shan Masood, was removed in a similar fashion off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling. In the subsequent over, Imam was trapped LBW by Starc, with Pakistan reduced to 19-3 inside the seventh over.
Trouble deepened for the visitors as Babar Azam fell to Cummins after he grazed the outside edge and was caught behind. Babar returned to the pavilion after scoring just 14 from 37, including two boundaries.
Saud Shakeel was the top-scorer for Pakistan until he was dismissed by Hazlewood in the final over bowled in the innings. He made 24 off 51, including four boundaries, as wickets fell on the other end; Sarfaraz Ahmed fell to Starc, Salman Ali Agha was run out and Lyon trapped Faheem Ashraf LBW to mark his 500th Test scalp – the third Australia to reach this milestone.
Khurram was the last batter to fall, after he was caught by David Warner off Hazlewood, who completed three wickets in the innings equaling Starc’s tally.
Marsh was named player of the match for his all-round performance in the game; he had two half-centuries and got the important wicket of Babar Azam in the first innings.
Pakistan will now play a two-day practice match against Victoria from 22-23 December. The second Test of the series will be played from 26-30 December at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Scores in brief:
Australia 487 all out, 113.2 overs (David Warner 164, Mitch Marsh 90, Usman Khawaja 41, Travis Head 40; Aamir Jamal 6-111, Khurram Shahzad 2-83, Faheem Ashraf 1-93, Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-96) and 233-5 (dec), 63.2 overs (Usman Khawaja 90, Mitchell Marsh 63 not out, Steven Smith 45; Khurram Shahzad 3-45)
Pakistan 271 all out, 101.5 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 62, Abdullah Shafique 42, Shan Masood 30; Nathan Lyon 3-66, Pat Cummins 2-35, Mitchell Starc 2-68, Travis Head 1-4, Mitchell Marsh 1-34, Josh Hazlewood 1-49) and 89 all out, 30.2 overs (Saud Shakeel 24, Babar Azam 14; Josh Hazlewood 3-13, Mitchell Starc 3-31, Nathan Lyon 2-14)
Player of the match - Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
