A supreme fast bowling performance from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins has helped put Australia in a dominant position in the third Test in Lahore.
Cummins and Starc helped Australia take 6-20 in just over an hour to bowl Pakistan out for 268 shortly before the close on day three.
David Warner (4) and Usman Khawaja (7) then negotiated three tricky overs before the close to guide Australia to 0-11, a lead of 134.
"I felt we bowled really well, the first two sessions — we just didn't quite get the reward," Cummins said after the day's play.
"The message was just hang in there. We saw in our batting innings that things can happen quickly if you get one breakthrough, especially when the ball's reversing.
Speed up they did.
From sitting pretty at 1-159 at lunch, Pakistan looked well set to bat through the day with Abdullah Shafique (81) and Azhar Ali (78) both reaching half centuries.
Even when Shafique fell, caught behind on review by Alex Carey off the bowling on Nathan Lyon after lunch to end a 150-run partnership, in Babar Azam, Pakistan had a perfect replacement.
Azhar Ali and Babar combined for another 44 runs before Azhar was caught brilliantly by Cummins off his own bowling.
Fawad Alam fell for 13 to reduce Pakistan to a serviceable 4-248 after he was bowled by Starc.
That marked the start of a stunning collapse in which both Starc and Cummins used the increasing amounts of reverse swing to their full advantage.
The bottom six scored just seven runs between them as Pakistan lost 6-20 in little over an hour's play, stunning the large public holiday crowd into silence.
"It's all a bit of a blur, the last couple of hours," Cummins, who became the first Australian to take a Test five-wicket haul at the Gaddafi Stadium, said when asked of what his plans were for tomorrow.
"We've given ourselves a really good opportunity, we're really ahead in the game so, hopefully we bat well and try and take those last 10 wickets."
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
- Pakistan 268 all out, trail Australia by 123 runs
- BOWLED HIM! PAKISTAN ARE ALL OUT!
- EDGED! CAUGHT BY STEVE SMITH AT SLIP! CUMMINS HAS FIVE!
- APPEAL! OUT! NAUMAN ALI GOES LBW TO CUMMINS!
- BOWLED HIM! PAT CUMMINS GETS IN ON THE ACT!
- BOWLED HIM! MITCHELL STARC WITH A RIPPER TO DISMISS RIZWAN FOR 1!
- BOWLED HIM! MITCHELL STARC STRIKES!
- Fifty for Babar Azam!
- Tea: Pakistan 3-227 (Babar Azam 42, Fawad Alam 5)
- WHAT A CATCH! PAT CUMMINS WITH A STUNNER TO DISMISS AZHAR ALI!
- OUT! NATHAN LYON GETS THE BREAKTHROUGH!
- Fifty for Azhar Ali
- Fifty for Abdullah Shafique
Live updates
By Simon Smale
Close: Australia 0-11 (Warner 4 Khawaja 7), lead by 134 runs
Well, didn't that all progress quickly.
I think it's safe to say that tomorrow is going to be very similar. Batting has been difficult throughout the match, but now it's really turned up a notch with the pitch offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers.
Pat Cummins told the host broadcaster that the last couple of hours were something of a blur and he hadn't thought about what sort of total his side should aim to set, but I think the Australians might find their hand forced by a fired up Pakistan side desperate to save some face.
Thanks once again for joining me for what turned into a fascinating day's play, I hope to see you all again tomorrow.
Ciao!
Audience comment by Steph in Melbourne
Hear hear. Love the ABC cricket blog!!!
Audience comment by Bart
Thanks for the coverage Simon. Appreciate your insights very much ✌️
By Simon Smale
3rd over - Shaheen Shah Afridi to David Warner
BANG! Hit him! A bouncer that didn't rise up has hit Warner on the shoulder. Nasty. Good ball from Shaheen.
Leg side and David Warner swiped at it and narrowly avoided getting an edge through the Rizwan. Testing times here for Warner...
"NOOOOOOOO!" shouts Warner after fending back down the pitch.
Almost a mix up! Warner desperately wants a single and takes off after playing into the off side but is sent back.
FOUR! Warner hooks beautifully for four to square leg. Wonderful shot.
"NO RUN!" Warner screams as he leaps up to defend a short ball.
Shaheen ran right up to Warner and stood in his face, Warner defiantly standing under him, a full head shorter to look him in the eye. Brilliant theater.
By Simon Smale
2nd over - Naseem Shah to bowl at the other end
Khawaja defends into the off side.
SWING! That's come back a very long way and is taken really well by Rizwan behind the stumps.
EDGED! It doesn't carry to Rizwan!
Khawaja leaves the next outside off, relieved not to have to play at one you'd think.
He fends the last off his stumps with a straight bat to end the over.
By Simon Smale
Looking forward to complaining about the declaration this time tomorrow....
-Chris
Inevitable, really.
By Simon Smale
1st over - Shaheen Shah Afridi to bowl the first to Khawaja
Khawaja defends the first, arrowing into the stumps from left arm over by Shaheen.
Khawaja pushes into the off side for no run.
Good ball, Khawaja leaving outside off stump.
EDGED! All the way along the ground to first slip from Khawaja, who played with beautifully soft hands. Edges not carrying will be a feature as this match goes on.
FOUR! Lovely clip into midwicket by Khawaja, perfectly timed.
Khawaja clips that square off his pads for three to follow up to end the over and keep the strike.
Audience comment by Samuel
WHAT A LAST SESSION THIS HAS BEEN! Starc & Cummins on fire!
By Simon Smale
Wow! You leave the blog for a second then: BAM! Total collapse! 🤯
-Doc
Never sleep on the blog.
Audience comment by AJ
well this game has gotten very interesting!
By Simon Smale
Pakistan 268 all out, trail Australia by 123 runs
Wow, that's all happened in a hurry.
Pakistan looked like they were cruising, but then Australia powered their way back into the game off the back of a five-for from the skipper, Pat Cummins and an equally supreme display of fast bowling from Mitchell Starc.
That puts Australia in a dominant position in this match, and the tourists are now clear favourites to win this game and the series.
A tricky little period of play to come though now for David Warner and Usman Khawaja to handle, we're thinking three overs or so.
Audience comment by Steph in Melbourne
Come on Aussies! Cummins you ripper!
Audience comment by rd
Thanks Simon - I had to go for a snack as previously - so great you got them out with pace!!!!!!! cheers until tomorrow
By Simon Smale
BOWLED HIM! PAKISTAN ARE ALL OUT!
Pakistan have lost 6-20 in just over an hour in one of the biggest capitulations you'll see in a Test match.
It didn't need to be special from Starc, who now has four, but just to aim at the stumps and that's what did it, Naseem playing all around it.
By Simon Smale
The rest of the 117th over - Mitchell Starc to Naseem Shah
This might not last long... Nassem Shah looks out of his depth already as the ball beats the bat.
BEATEN AGAIN! That went over the top of middle!
By Simon Smale
LBW! ANOTHER FALLS AND THIS TIME IT'S BABAR AZAM! STARC STRIKES
Babar will review this, but it looked quite out to me, the ball coming in and hitting him straight in front.
Yes, umpires call on leg stump, a desperation review if ever I saw one.
Pakistan have lost 7-20 in little over an hour, including the last 4-4. Incredible.
Pakistan are still a long way behind, 123 runs in fact.
By Simon Smale
117th over - Mitchell Starc will get another
I imagine he bared his teeth at anyone who came near him asking him to surrender his spot at this end.
