Asad Shafiq and tail make Australia toil

Pakistan 142 and 8 for 382 (Shafiq 100*, Azhar 71, Younis 65) need 108 runs to beat Australia 429 and 5 for 202 decScorecard and ball-by-ball details

During the rain delay that ensured day four would stretch well into the Brisbane night, highlights of the 1999 Hobart Test were aired. Play resumed before Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer were shown completing their fabled chase, but by stumps a magnificent Asad Shafiq innings was allowing Pakistan to dream of an even greater feat.

To achieve 490 to win would comfortably be the biggest chase of all time, more remarkable still for the fact that Pakistan were shot out for 142 in the first innings. Yet Shafiq, Mohammad Amir and then Wahab Riaz played with such confidence on a friendly Gabba pitch that Australia’s captain Steven Smith will sleep fitfully tonight.

It was Smith who dropped Shafiq late in the evening, before the umpires allowed Australia to take the extra half hour to try to claim the result on the fourth night. But tired bowlers and a wearing ball ensured the eight overs were largely fruitful for Pakistan, until Jackson Bird found an edge from Wahab in the final over of the day. While Smith clung on this time, his gambit had cost 51 runs. 

The hosts were visibly frustrated by Pakistan’s rearguard, which began with Azhar Ali and Younis Khan and then was sustained after dinner by the polished Shafiq, Amir, who played with rare skill for the second time in the match, and the jittery but ultimately powerful Wahab. Yasir Shah, who played out the final over, was no slouch …

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