The historic Test match between Pakistan and Australia in Rawalpindi ends in a draw. Only one result was possible for the game given Pakistan didn't bother about declaring their second innings, despite cleaning up the Australian tail early on the day. Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq made the most out of the opportunity and stitched 252 runs for the opening wicket - Pakistan's best against Australia for the first wicket - on Day 5 to see the match ending before its scheduled time as no result other than draw seemed possible. Follow first PAK vs AUS Test, Day 5 highlights here:
05:35 PM IST: Imam Named Player Of The Match
Imam-ul-Haq has been felicitated with the Player Of The Match award for his scores of 157 and 111*. He also became the 10th Pakistani batter to hit a century in both the innings of a Test match.
That's all from us. We end our coverage of the game here. Will meet you guys in the second Test that kicks off March 12. Goodbye.
05:05 PM IST: Match Ends In A Draw
Here is the invitable. The historic Test match between Pakistan and Australia in Rawalpindi ends in a draw. The umpire take the bails off and two players from both the sides shake hands.
Imam-ul-Haq returns with an unbeaten 111 while his partner Abdullah Shafique carries his bat with 136 not out.
04:59 PM IST: 250 Up For Pakistan
This is the the best opening stand for Pakistan against Australia.
PAK 250/0 (76.1)
04:26 PM IST: Century For Imam
Back-to-back centuries for Imam. He had scored 157 runs in the first innings of this game and now scores a solid ton.
PAK 216/0 (64.1)
04:11 PM IST: Pakistan Lead By 224 Runs
Imam is just three runs short of a century. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam doesn't seem in a mood to declare anytime soon.
PAK 207/0 (61)
03:50 PM IST: Century For Shafique
Abdullah Shafique races to his maiden Test hundred. The 22-year-old is playing just his third Test match but has two fifties and now a century to his credit. Take a bow young man!
PAK 192/0 (56.1)
03:26 PM IST: Tea Break
Abdullah Shafique stays unbeaten on 99 as umpires call for Tea break on the final day of Pakistan vs Australia 1st Test. Imam-Ul-Haq is 89 not out. Pakistan's lead has been extended to 208 runs.
PAK 191/0 (55)
03:08 PM IST: Pakistan Lead By 183 Runs
Shafique is unbeaten on 84 while Imam is 79 not out.
PAK 166/0 (50)
02:52 PM IST: 150-Run Stand
Abdullah Shafique hits Marnus Labuschagne for a four, pull over mid-wicket, to bring up a 150-run stand with Imam-ul-Haq (69 off 121) in 273 balls. Shafique is on 78 off 153. Pakistan lead by 167 runs.
PAK 150/0 (45.2)
02:27 PM IST: Pakistan Lead By 136 Runs
Pakistan have extended the lead to 136 runs. The pitch is offering some good help to spinners now. Nathan Lyon has been impressive, but unlucky to not get a wicket so far.
PAK 119/0 (40)
02:06 PM IST: Fifty For Shafique
Abdullah Shafique also scores a fifty. He had missed the half-century by 6 runs in the first innings but not this time.
PAK 104/0 (35.2)
02:00 PM IST: Fifty For Imam
A reverse sweep on the fifth ball of 34th over and Imam-ul-Haq races to his fourth Test fifty. He is going really well here at Rawalpindi. He had scored 157 in the first innings of the game and now continues the momentum with an unbeaten fifty.
PAK 99/0 (34)
01:54 PM IST: Pakistan Lead By 112 Runs
Both Shafique and Imam are batting at 46 each. Hopefully, we will see some attacking cricket once they score their fifties.
PAK 95/0 (33)
01:10 PM IST: Second Session
The second session starts as Nathan Lyon bowled the first over to Abdullah Shafique after lunch break.
Maiden over.
PAK 76/0 (24)
12:32 PM IST: Lunch Break
Pakistan are going good in this game. Imam-ul-Haq is striking it over a rate of 60, however, Abdullah Shafique would have liked a better performance from himself in terms of strike rate. He is unbraten on 33 while Imam is 40 not out.
PAK 76/0 (23)
12:23 PM IST: Australia Keep It Tight
Australian bowlers have conceded only 9 runs off the past 5 overs. They have been disciplined.
PAK 69/0 (20)
12:05 PM IST: 44 Runs In Past 10 Overs
Pakistan have already changed the gears. They are going at a run rate of 4. However, they need to do beter in case they want to challenge Australia.
PAK 60/0 (15)
11:15 AM IST: PAK 16/0 (5)
Pakistan need to score quickly from here to get a favourable result out of the game.
10:51 AM IST: Pakistan Bat
Mitchell has the new ball in hand. Abdullah Shafique faces him while his partner Imam-ul-Haq takes the other end.
10:42 AM IST: Innings Break
Nauman Ali ends with a six-wicket haul while Australia could have performed better today with the bat. Nonetheless, a lot of action still needs to take place for one of the two teams to win. Let's wait and watch.
10:40 AM IST: Australia Bundled Out For 459
Two quick wickets and Australia are bundled out for 459 runs, handing Pakistan a slender lead of 17 runs.
Shaheen Afridi dismissed Mitchell Starc on the last ball of the 140th over, while Nauman Ali trapped Nathan Lyon on the very next ball that followed.
10:30 AM IST: Wicket
Nauman Ali has struck early on the day, and this helps him get a fifer. He has been impressive in this game. Pat Cummins departs on 8.
AUS 455/8 (138.3)
10:25 AM IST: It's Game Time
Day 5's play at Rawalpindi has started. Shaheen Afridi bowled the first over to Mitchell Starc and six runs came off it.
AUS 455/7 (138)
10:04 AM IST: Players Warm Up
The match on Day 5 will kick off within half an hour. Pakistan still need to go through the Australian tail. Just three more sessions left on the day, a draw seems inevitable.
9:30 AM IST: Lot Left On Final Day
With a substantial part of the match lost to rain, the historic encounter is slowly moving towards a draw. Having said that there is a lot left in this Test match on the final day.
9:26 AM IST: Welcome
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the fifth and final day of the Pakistan vs Australia first Test match in Rawalpindi. The first four days have been no less than the excitement with the visitors returning to the Asian nation after more than two decades.
Day 5 Preview
Australia will resume the day on 449/7 after 137 overs with Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins unbeaten on 12 and 4 runs respectively at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The visitors still trail Pakistan, who declared at 476/4, by 27 runs.
Unlike Day 4, the weather looks fine for a full day of cricket. But the play will most probably follow the trend, that of batters dominating the bowlers, unless something chaotic happens.
With Test matches still coming up in Karachi and Lahore, the series will surely see some results. But for now, both sides will have to settle for a draw and lose out on crucial ICC World Test Championship points. As of March 6, Australia were leading the points table, with Pakistan closely on their heels at second. Check the standings HERE.
The final day can still spring some surprise though. 90 overs are more than enough to wrap up two innings. And both sides have some fine bowlers who can trigger such collapses on their respective ranks.
The likes of Shaheen Afridi, Nauman Ali, Pat Cummins Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, etc. should be given a chance to shine on this insipid Test. The clash has seen enough of Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and their ilk.
