Lahore: Australia extended its lead to 220 runs at lunch Thursday as it aimed to set a challenging target for Pakistan in the third and final cricket Test.
David Warner made 51 off 91 balls before he was bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the penultimate over before lunch on Day 4.
Australia reached 97-1 in its second innings at the interval with in-form opener Usman Khawaja unbeaten 44 and Marnus Labuschagne yet to score.
The three-Test series, Australia’s first in Pakistan since 1998, is level at 0-0 after draws at Rawalpindi and Karachi and both teams will be pushing for victory here with five sessions remaining.
In a sensational collapse after tea on Day 3, Pakistan conceded a 123-run lead after losing seven wickets for 41 runs to get bowled out for 268 runs against the reverse swing of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
In an eventful morning session on Day 4, Pakistan missed out on an opportunity to dismiss Warner early; Khawaja got a reprieve after he was bowled off Naseem Shah’s no-ball and then umpire Aleem Dar was involved in an animated conversation with Warner likely about how and where the veteran batter was running on the deteriorating pitch.
Warner even removed his helmet and gloves, exchanging words with Dar before play resumed after nearly three minutes of stoppage.
Earlier, television replays suggested Hasan Ali had got a thin edge of Warner’s bat in his second over of the day, but Pakistan didn’t appeal.
Khawaja, on 31, was clean bowled by a Naseem delivery which nipped back into the left-hander but the Pakistan-born Australian opener survived as the replays showed the bowler had overstepped the front crease.
Warner showed Australia’s intent to score quickly when he hit Afridi for three boundaries in the day’s first over.
He and Khawaja batted fluently against the pacers and the two spinners, with Warner lofting left-arm spinner Nauman Ali for a six before Afridi dismissed him as the ball started to reverse swing.
