PAK vs AUS: Cummins, Starc rattle Pakistan's batting line, Australia in charge with 134-runs lead

LAHORE: Australia looked in control by finishing day three of the final Pakistan-Australia Test with 134-runs lead. Coming out to bat after gaining 123-runs lead, Australia score 11-0 at stumps on the third day.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc shared nine wickets to help Australia bowl out Pakistan for 268 runs after a major resistance by Babar Azam, Azhar Ali, and Abdullah Shafique. 

Pakistani skipper Babar took charge after Pakistan lost well-set Abdullah and Azhar in quick successions before Tea on day three of the title-deciding Test here at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

The skipper had scored 42 runs in 66 balls, leading his team to 227-3 before tea. But after Tea, Starc and Cummins went through the hosts' batting line to break their backbone. 

Babar saw his batters tumbling after regular intervals that surely built pressure on him. Fawad Alam scored 13 while Rizwan and Sajid scored a run and six respectively. 

Last three batters, Nauman Ali, Hasan Ali, and Naseem Shah went out for ducks. 

Babar survived till Starc got him trapped in his legs to take his third wicket in the innings. He scored 67 runs off 131 balls including six boundaries and a six. 

Cummins bagged his seventh fifer whereas Starc took four wickets. Lyon managed to take the crucial wicket of Abdullah. 

Half-centuries from Abdullah and Azhar had put Pakistan in a strong position until Cummins and Starc struck with the ball to dismantle the hosts' batting order.

In pursuit of 391, Abdullah and Azhar performed brilliantly and scored 81 and 78 runs, respectively before getting out.

After a long battle with Azhar and Abdullah, the Aussie bowlers finally managed to send the two batters back to the pavilion before tea. The two batters partnered strongly to score 150 runs together.

Iman-ul-Haq had departed for 11 runs on day two, who was sent back to the pavilion by Cummins.

After getting bowled out for 391, Aussie bowlers applied early pressure on the Pakistani batters by bowling tight and lines and length.

Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheeh Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah

Australia: Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Sweepson, Nathan Lyon