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'What on earth': Cricket world in disbelief over 'insane' scenes

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·5-min read
Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, pictured here ripping through the Pakistan batting order.
Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc ripped through the Pakistan batting order. Image: Getty

The cricket world was left in disbelief on Wednesday night as Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc sparked an incredible Pakistan collapse to completely flip the third Test on its head.

After taking just three wickets in the first 106 overs, Australia ended Pakistan's resistance in dramatic fashion by running through their batting order with 7-20 in the final session on day three.

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Pakistan appeared to be cruising at 3-248 before a Cummins and Starc masterclass saw the hosts rolled for just 268.

Cummins claimed 5-56 and Starc took 4-33 as Australia took a crucial first-innings lead of 123 and finished the day at 0-11.

The hosts' innings ended in shocking fashion as they lost 4-0 in their last 10 balls.

The Aussie quicks were able to get the ball reverse swinging and Pakistan's lower-order had no answers.

Cummins became the first fast bowler in the three-Test battle for the Benaud-Qadir Trophy to claim a five-wicket haul.

It was the seventh time in Test cricket Cummins has finished with at least five wickets in an innings.

Pat Cummins, pictured here after taking the wicket of Nauman Ali in the third Test against Pakistan.
Pat Cummins celebrates after taking the wicket of Nauman Ali in the third Test against Pakistan. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

"I don't think this wicket helps the fast bowlers at all," Starc said after play.

"The wicket started out quite slow and dead and we've seen it shoot lower and lower as the days have gone on.

"The key is reverse swing and both teams have used that well.

"We've got to stay patient, it's a hard slog, and things are going to happen quicker as the game goes on."

Fans and commentators were left in complete disbelief at Pakistan's collapse, which marked the first time in history they'd ever lost their last five wickets for fewer than five runs.

Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc rip through Pakistan

Pakistan's lower-order showed little resistance when the ball was swinging.

Their top-four of Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and captain Babar Azam have been solid during the whole series but their last four batters did not contribute a run during the collapse.

All of Starc's four wickets came by attacking the stumps - three bowled and one lbw - while two of Cummins' victims were clean-bowled.

Arguably, Cummins' most important wicket came during the grind of the second session as he hung onto a difficult catch off his own bowling to dismiss the resilient Ali for 78.

Pakistan fans, pictured here in disbelief as their team crumbled against Australia.
Pakistan fans were in disbelief as their team crumbled against Australia. Image: Fox Cricket

But Starc knows Australia will have to fight as hard as ever to bowl Pakistan out twice.

"Last week (in Karachi) we thought the wicket may break up a lot more than it actually did," he said.

"Credit to Pakistan, they played really well, but we're in another position of opportunity...we'd rather be in those positions where we've got options and we're pressing the issue than having to survive.

"It's a huge positive for this group in foreign conditions to be pushing the game."

Australia have recorded just three Test victories in Pakistan dating back to 1957, with two of those coming in 1959.

Starc knows the special place in cricket history that awaits if they can achieve a 1-0 series win.

with AAP

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