ABU DHABI // If there is such a thing as mass, collective dreaming then the 11,000 souls who turned up at the Sheikh Zayed stadium on Friday – not to forget the millions watching on television – probably underwent it.
Pakistan piling on the runs, running Australia right into the ground? Over the last 20 years that scenario has been too outlandish for most Pakistanis to even dream about. Yet the scoreboard had it right: Pakistan 570 for six declared and Australia, already one down and way too many behind.
The dream was built upon more record-breaking feats from Younis Khan and an enterprising sixth Test hundred from the captain Misbah-ul-Haq. The former went on to a double, his fifth in Tests, and became the third Pakistani in the process to cross 8,000 Test runs.
His 181-run stand with Misbah was the pair’s 11th century partnership, making them the most prolific Pakistani pair ever. A more obscure but telling achievement was Younis’s: he became the only modern day batsman to average over 50 in each of the four innings of a Test match.
“I’m really happy and really proud at the moment,” Younis said. “I didn’t have any hundreds against Australia before the series, but I had only played six Tests against them.
“Now I’ve gotten a few all together but mostly I’m happy that because of my performances Pakistan are on top.”
Australia’s misery in these conditions continued; having been in the field for two days, struggling to take wickets, they lost Chris Rogers in the penultimate over of the day.
They were sloppy in the field again as well, David Warner dropping a simple chance at point from Younis early in the morning and then missing a stumping as well. That Warner was wearing the gloves was bad news as well.
Brad Haddin, the regular wicketkeeper, injured his right shoulder in going for an edge in the morning’s sixth over. He stayed on for a bit before going off. He came on again after lunch but was struggling visibly and eventually went off again towards the close of Pakistan’s innings.
The good news may be that he did not require a scan but he could not say whether he will keep again in the match.
It is difficult to see Pakistan batting again in any case.
“Obviously they’re in a very good position,” Haddin said. “They can dictate how they want to play it for the next couple of days. It’s up to us now to dig in, it’s our turn to bat now. We’ve got to make sure we’re as hungry as their batters were and get a big score on the board.”
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE