In Perth, Australia defeats Pakistan, and Nathan Lyon becomes a member of the 500 Test wickets club. As Australia thrashed Pakistan by 360 runs in the opening Test in Perth, Nathan Lyon became the eighth bowler, fourth spinner overall, and third Australian to reach the 500 Test wickets club. With two fifties in a row, Mitchell Marsh was named Player of the Match, and David Warner, in his final series, hit an incredible 164 on the opening day.
Day four saw Australia’s quicks blow down Pakistan’s batting order, taking two wickets at the end to reduce Pakistan to a pitiful 93 in just 31 overs. Australia had set 450. Babar Azam (14) and Saud Shakeel (24) led Pakistan’s scoring in the second innings.
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Thanks to Warner’s outstanding century, Australia scored a massive 487 when they batted first. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh, fresh off his 2023 World Cup exploits, also scored 90, with contributions from Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey coming in at 41 and 34, respectively.
Imam-ul-Haq scored fifty (61), Abdullah Shafique (42) and newly appointed skipper Shan Masood (30) also contributed to Pakistan’s top-order’s resilience in the first innings. In the first innings, Lyon came back and claimed three wickets as Australia defeated Pakistan on 271.
Instead of requesting Pakistan to bat again, Australia chose to bat again and lost Warner and Marnus Labuschagne on single-digit scores. Steve Smith and Khawaja crushed 90 and 45 respectively, and Marsh once again proved himself at the bat, smashing an undefeated 63. Australia declared on 233 for five and gave Pakistan a target to chase of 450.
Pakistan’s early return of Shafique and Masood was a setback. Imam soon after, and on 14 Babar left for Hazlewood. Shakeel made history, but it was insufficient because Australia destroyed Pakistan’s middle class and left them behind.
