Test great's stunning prediction for Pakistan's Aussie destroyer

Mohammad Abbas has dismissed four Australian batsmen in a devastating four-over spell to put Pakistan on the brink of a series victory.

Currently boasting one of the best records in Test cricket of all time, let alone for 2018, the right-arm paceman has been tipped for glory by South African great Dale Steyn.

The tourists resumed at 1-47 in Abu Dhabi with the odds of avoiding defeat in the second and final Test as slim as could be.

Abbas smashed any final Australian dreams when he caught fire with the ball in the first hour of day four.

The 28-year-old first had Travis Head caught behind for 36 and the very first delivery of his next over trapped Mitch Marsh on the pads.

Given not out by the umpire, Pakistan sent it upstairs and three red lights sent Australia’s vice-captain back to the rooms for just five runs off five balls.

Aaron Finch was the next to go, out lbw on review after Pakistan’s appeal was turned down.

Australian captain Tim Paine was the hero of his team’s draw in the first Test but he would not resist this time round.

The keeper-batsman lasted just three balls, bowled by Abbas after opting to leave a ball that was pitched just outside off stump, to extend Australia’s collapse from 1-71 to 5-78.

That wicket saw Abbas’s calendar-year record read 35 wickets at 11.74 at the time of writing.

With a career record of 58 runs at 15.55, the bowler has the best record of all players after the year 1900 – and Steyn says there’s more to come:

Abbas is currently ranked 14th in the world with a rating of 734, well behind leaders Jimmy Anderson (899), Kagiso Rabada (882) and Vernon Philander (826).

But success is unlikely to go to the Pakistan bowler’s head, like it did to Mohammad Zahid, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – three fast bowlers who shot to fame early in their careers.

“Look, I have a firm belief in Almighty Allah and I pray that he keeps me away from tough situations,” Abbas said this week.

“I have played first-class cricket and a lot of things have happened before my eyes.”

Zahid shot to prominence with 11 wickets in his debut Test against New Zealand in 1996 but managed only four more matches after struggling with a back injury.

Asif and Amir were each banned for five years after their parts in the spot-fixing scandal on Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010. Since completing his ban, Amir has returned but struggled to make the most of his talent.

“I suffered hardship in my life so my focus is on cricket and that has made me mature. I want to keep my feet on ground, that has been my life and it has matured me,” added Abbas.

“Right or wrong, I know where to go and my focus is to go step to step and whatever happens around me doesn’t bother me.”

When he claimed his 50th wicket in his 10th Test, Abbas became the joint-second fastest to achieve the feat from Pakistan alongside the legendary Waqar Younis, Asif and Shabbir Ahmed.

Teammmate Yasir Shah is the fastest Pakistani to 50 wickets, reaching the mark in nine matches.

with AFP