Lahore to host first Test since 2009 attack

LAHORE: Test cricket returns to Lahore on Monday for the first time since a terror attack on a visiting team in 2009, with winner takes all for the PakistanAustralia series finale.

Pakistan’s second-biggest city and its Gaddafi Stadium have not hosted a Test since the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus left six security personnel and two civilians dead.

It drove international cricket away from Pakistan, forcing the home team to play their matches on neutral territory, mostly in the United Arab Emirates.

But Australia are touring the country for the first time since 1998 and the series is on a knife edge after two compelling Tests, both ending in draws.

Pakistan will be high on confidence after snatching a sensational draw in Karachi last time out, with skipper Babar Azam hitting a career-best 196 and vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan 104 not out.

Australia looked to be in control in Karachi but after gaining a big 408-run lead skipper Pat Cummins did not enforce the follow-on and Pakistan left them to toil for 171.4 overs—the secondmost played in a fourth innings.

Cummins played down the tiredness factor. “We know what we’ve signed up for,” he said after the thrilling second Test, which followed a dull first match in Rawalpindi. “We will put everything in the last Test. We’ve time to recover.”

Australia may tinker with their spin attack but pacer Mitchell Starc is likely to play despite a heavy workload.

None of the current Pakistan players has played a Test at the Gaddafi ground, but for the 27-year-old Azam it will be something of a homecoming.

Azam was a ball boy when Pakistan took on South Africa there in 2007 and he was born nearby.“It’s a special occasion,” said the Lahore native. “When you play in front of your crowd and they support you, that feeling is so good, I can’t explain it. We’re so happy that cricket is back and we’re playing against such a big team here.”

The match also holds significance for local umpire Ahsan Raza, who will officiate a Test for the first time since surviving the terror attack in 2009.

The 47-year-old, a reserve umpire at the time, was shot in the back and critically wounded. It took him six months to recover and resume his umpiring career.

Smith hopes to score big Australia vice-captain Steve Smith says he’s disappointed to have not capitalised on two good starts against Pakistan and get his first away Test century in over two years.

Smith scored 78 in the first Test in Rawalpindi before making 72 in the epic drawn game in Karachi. “Look, I’ve been pretty disappointed when I’ve got out, that’s for sure,” Smith said via video conference on Saturday as Australia prepared for the third and final Test starting Monday. “I haven’t got out (in the 70s) many times in my career and I’ve got to get the bigger scores, particularly on those wickets.”

Smith looked set to score his first away Test century on a lifeless Pindi Cricket Stadium wicket before top-edging a wild sweep against leg-spinner Nauman Ali and getting caught at short fine leg.

He batted for four hours and 40 minutes at Karachi for his 72 in Australia’s mammoth first-innings score of 556/9 declared but edged a low catch in the second slip to Faheem Ashraf off fast bowler Hasan Ali.

In a batter-dominated series so far, Smith hopes he can get his first away Test century in Lahore since making 211 in the Ashes Test at Manchester in 2019.

Another slow wicket is likely to welcome both teams at the Gaddafi Stadium where there’s hardly any grass left on the wicket. “Hopefully (I) can get into the similar position in this Test and go on and convert,” Smith said. Pakistan captain Babar Azam led Pakistan to the second Test draw with his historic knock of 196 in over 10 hours at Karachi. “Pakistan batted exceptionally well to stay out there for 172 overs,” Smith said. “It’s not too often you see a team last that long in the fourth inning, (but) obviously we weren’t quite good enough to get all 10 (wickets) in the end.”

White-ball series shifted The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shifted the white-ball series against Australia from Rawalpindi to Lahore on the advice of the government.