Imam-ul-Haq cracked a century in each innings and his opening partner Abdullah Shafique hit a maiden hundred as Pakistan’s first home Test against Australia in 24 years ended in a draw in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Haq made an unbeaten 111 following up his 157 in the first innings, while Shafique finished on 136 not out as Pakistan were 252 without loss when the first test of Benaud-Qadir trophy match ended without a result.
Australia scored 459 in reply to Pakistan’s first innings score of 476-4 declared.
Australia’s first Test on Pakistan soil since 1998.
A combined total of 1,187 runs were scored for just 14 wickets over five days as the famed Australian pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood — with 674 Test wickets between them before this match — got just one more.
With a draw assured, the Pakistan openers took the opportunity for batting practice ahead of the second Test in Karachi.
In doing so, they became the first Pakistan pair to put on a century opening stand in both innings of a Test against Australia after teaming up for 105 on Friday.
Abdullah was the first to reach his century, pushing seamer Cameron Green for a single to reach the mark in 209 minutes. In all, he hit 15 boundaries and a six.
Imam, who was playing his first Test since December 2019, pushed part-timer Travis Head for two to complete his century in 276 minutes.
Their stand is Pakistan’s highest for the first wicket against Australia in Tests, bettering the 249 set by Khalid Ibadullah and Abdul Kadir in Karachi in 1964.
Earlier, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali bowled a nagging line and length to mop up the Australian tail and finished with career-best figures of 6-107 in 38.1 overs his third five-wicket haul in eight Tests.
His effort enabled Pakistan to get the last three wickets with the addition of just 10 runs after Australia resumed on 449-7.
Nauman whose previous best of 5-35 came on his debut against South Africa in Karachi last year dismissed Australian skipper Pat Cummins for eight and Nathan Lyon for three in quick succession.
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi got rid of Starc to finish with figures of 2-88 in 30 overs.
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