Melbourne: Australia were on top after reducing Pakistan to 194-6 at stumps on day two of the second Test in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The visitors still trail by 124 runs in the first innings with Mohammad Rizwan (29) and Aamer Jamal (2) out in the middle.
Pakistan were 124-1 at one stage but lost quick wickets towards the end of the final session and were pushed on the backfoot.
Abdullah Shafique (62) and Shan Masood (54) smashed fifties but couldn’t kick on and score a big one.
Star batter Babar Azam once again failed to impress and was cleaned up by Pat Cummins, who claimed three wickets, after scoring just one run.
Post-lunch session
Pakistan reached 68-1 at tea on day two of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne.
Opener Abdullah Shafique was unbeaten on 39 but his partner Imam-ul-Haq was dismissed by Nathon Lyon after scoring 10 runs. Captain Shan Masood was not out on 15 at the break.
Pakistan are looking to make a comeback in the three-match series after losing the first Test in convincing manner.
Australia dismissed for 318
Australia lost seven wickets for 131 runs on the second morning and were all out for 318 in their first innings against Pakistan.
Marnus Labuschagne scored his fourth Test fifty of the year but was dismissed by Aamer Jamal (3-64) soon after for 63.
But Pakistan will be unhappy with the number of extras, 52 in total, since it was the second-biggest contributor to Australia’s total.
Pacers Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali claimed two wickets each.
Day one
Yesterday, Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and opted to bowl in the second Test.
Australia reached 187-3 at stumps on the opening day as the Boxing Day Test was affected by rain which is why only 66 overs were bowled.
The hosts are looking to seal the three-Test series after thumping the visitors by 360 runs in Perth, and went into the game with an unchanged side.
Pakistan preferred Mohammad Rizwan to keep wicket ahead of Sarfaraz Ahmed while fast bowlers Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali both play after being overlooked for the first Test.
They come in for injured paceman Khurram Shahzad and Faheem Ashraf, who was axed.
It means an all-pace attack led by the experienced Shaheen Shah Afridi and impressive newcomer Aamer Jamal, with no room for a specialist spinner.
Pakistan have performed poorly in Australia, losing 15 Tests on the trot with their last win in 1995.
Teams
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (capt), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamer Jamal
