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[Saba Sports News] Following their defeat in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pakistan’s team director, Mohammad Hafeez, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, even suggesting they outperformed Australia. The match featured a critical moment on Day 3 when Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique dropped Mitchell Marsh, who then scored 96, aiding Australia’s recovery from a precarious 16/4.
Pakistan’s chase of 317 saw commendable efforts from captain Shan Masood and Babar Azam, with half-centuries. The dismissals of Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman, however, hindered their progress. Rizwan’s controversial caught-behind dismissal, which saw a spike on ultra edge but no hotspot evidence, left him visibly upset. Hafeez remarked that some decisions didn’t favor them, implying a different outcome had they gone their way.
In response, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, quoted by news.com.au, acknowledged Pakistan’s solid performance but remained focused on Australia’s victory, stating, “They played well. I am glad we got the win. It doesn’t really matter, does it? It is the team who wins at the end.”
Australia’s win by 79 runs, featuring another five-wicket haul by Cummins, puts them 2-0 up in the series and third on the World Test Championship points table. The teams look ahead to the third Test starting January 3 in Sydney.