Day 2 Dominance: Warner's Brilliance and Jamal's Debut Delight Propel Australia against Pakistan in Opening Test

At the end of Day 2 (Stumps):

Australia scored 487 in their first innings, and Pakistan, in response, is 132/2.

Warner Shines in the Opening Test & Jamal Gets 6 on Debut:

D. Warner came out guns blazing, with Pakistan's bowling failing to capitalize on the pitch. The medium pace bowling never looked threatening, apart from occasional Jaffas. Shaheen Afridi was all over the place, ending with figures of 96/1 and an economy of 3.56. He eventually gained control, but Warner and Australia went after him. With the inexperienced bowling squad, Warner fully took advantage and played as if in an ODI match. Khurram bowled some good defensive channels, but overall, it was a terrible bowling display with an average economy of 4.29. Aamir Jamal took 6 wickets on debut with some unplayable Jaffas, a fantastic achievement.

Key Performances:

- D Warner 164

- M. Marsh 90

- A Jamal 6 for 111

- K. Shahzad 2 for 83

The pitch appeared to have bounce, seam movement, and perhaps some swing. However, Pakistan's bowling attack, with the highest speed around 136 kph (Shaheen), never looked threatening, and Australia easily crossed 450+, a daunting score.

Day 2: Australia Finishes High and Puts Pakistan on the Backfoot

Pakistan, chasing a first-inning total of 487, had some positive shots from Abdullah, but Australia was economical. Lyon was introduced early, and with the bounce, he took the wicket of Abdullah (42 with a strike rate of 34.71). Shan Masood started positively but fell short, getting out to M. Starc on 30. Imam is still at the crease at 38*, looking to survive with a strike rate of 27.94. Have Pakistan given up already? Is the plan to play for a draw?

In contrast to Pakistan, Australian bowlers were spot on with an average bowling economy of 2.4.

Pakistani batsmen were barely given room to breathe. K. Shahzad was in the middle as the night watchman at the end of Day 2. I don't think he will last long at the start of Day 3.

What to Expect on Day 3:

Australia will attack, no doubt, with a potent bowling attack and a legendary spinner nearing 500 wickets. I don't think they are inclined to let this match slip. For Pakistan, what can they do? Partnerships. They shouldn't think of a result at the moment, take it session by session, build strong partnerships, and be positive in their approach. With Babar Azam yet to come, Saud, Sarfaraz, Salman, Faheem... it's a long batting lineup. Whether they are capable and consistent enough is a different question. A composed and mature inning from all is needed.

Summary:

- Australia will try to knock down Pakistan quickly with strategic bowling.

- Pakistan needs to build partnerships, win sessions, and play with a positive intent.

- The pitch might not be a batting paradise, but there are runs available, as shown by Warner/Marsh, though they were facing 135+ kph tops.

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