‘Winning test series in Australia is not everyone’s cup of tea.’- Fans react as Australia beats Pakistan in 2nd Test by 79 runs
Pat Cummins, the mighty Aussie skipper, unleashed a staggering bowling feat, grabbing a whopping ten wickets at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground against Pakistan. This incredible performance powered Australia to a thrilling 79-run victory over Pakistan, securing them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Test series.
Babar Azam fails again
Chasing a challenging 317, Pakistan initially looked comfortable, reaching 129/3 after tea on Day 4. But Cummins & Co. had other plans. The visiting middle order kept things ticking, but nobody could build a big enough partnership to truly threaten the Aussies. Star batsman Babar Azam fell for 41, followed by Saud Shakeel, leaving Pakistan in shaky territory at 162/5.
Rizwan and Salmat puts up a fight
Just when it seemed Pakistan might turn the tide, Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman put on a 57-run partnership, inching closer to victory. But guess who stepped up again? Yep, Cummins! He dismissed Rizwan, shattering the crucial partnership and leaving Pakistan’s tail exposed. Cummins and Starc then tore through the remaining batsmen, claiming four wickets in just 7.2 overs to seal the deal for Australia.
For Pakistan, Shan Masood and Agha Salman were the lone bright spots with fighting fifties, but it wasn’t enough against the dominant Cummins and Starc, who finished with 5/49 and 4/55 respectively. This was Cummins’ second 10-wicket haul in the match, a truly spectacular achievement! He also reached a milestone 250th Test wicket in the second innings, showcasing his consistent excellence.
Earlier, Australia had declared their second innings at 262, with Alex Carey top-scoring with 53. Pakistani bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mir Hamza shared the spoils with 4 wickets each.
With the series already in Australian hands, all eyes now turn to the final Test in Sydney, starting January 3, 2024. Pakistan’s fighting effort and then a mini-collapse at the end caused a social media meltdown. Cricket fans took it to X to express their views on the Pakistan loss to Australia by 79 runs in the 2nd test at Melbourne. Here are some of the tweets from X:
Winning test series in Australia is not everyone's cup of tea. You have to be India if you want to win a series on Australian soil 🔥🔥
Pakistan isn't even a challenge for Australia, it's easy peasy for them. 😅 pic.twitter.com/L0uipvPhwq
— CricWiz (@CricWizTalks) December 29, 2023
That dropped catch of Marsh costed Pakistan 76 runs and they lost by 79 runs. We can easily say Abdullah dropped the match.
— Mr. Critic (@dacriticizer) December 29, 2023
Only India can beat Australia in Australia ❤ pic.twitter.com/kZvNguBcXP
— Shumaila Tanveer (@shumaila56_) December 29, 2023
Not everyone can win 2 test series there 🔥 🇮🇳
— Mehran मेहरान 🇮🇳 (@mehranzaidi) December 29, 2023
Thank You Umpire for Ruining our Day 💔
Ye Hamare Sath He Q Hota Hai. 😭
— Babar badshah👑🇵🇰 (@MeharTaha104) December 29, 2023
India remains the only Asian team to win a Test series in Australia…!!! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/qZ3I0RK6Cm
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 29, 2023