Test cricket returned to Lahore on Monday for the first time since the 2009 terror attack on a visiting team, with the winner taking all for the finale of the Pakistan-Australia series.
Pakistan’s second largest city and its Gaddafi Stadium have not hosted the Test as six security personnel and two civilians were killed in an attack on a Sri Lankan team bus.
This moved international cricket away from Pakistan, forcing the home team to play their matches in neutral territory, mostly in the United Arab Emirates.
But Australia are touring the country for the first time since 1998 and the series is on a knife’s edge after two compelling Tests, both ending in draws.
Pakistan will be high on confidence after snatching a sensational draw in Karachi last time, with skipper Babar Azam hitting a career-best 196 and vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 104.
Australia looked to be in control in Karachi, but captain Pat Cummins did not enforce a follow-on after taking a massive 408-run lead and Pakistan left them to work hard for 171.4 overs – the second highest in the fourth innings. played more.
Cummins lowers the fatigue factor.
“We know what we’ve signed up for,” he said after a sluggish first match in Rawalpindi followed by an exciting second Test.
“We will put everything in the last Test. We have time to recover.”
Australia can tinker with their spin attack but pacer Mitchell Starc is likely to play despite the heavy workload.
None of the current Pakistan players have played a Test at the Gaddafi ground, but it will be a homecoming for the 27-year-old Azam.
Azam was a ball boy when Pakistan took South Africa there in 2007 and was born nearby.
“It’s a special occasion,” the Lahore native said.
“The feeling is so great when you play in front of your crowd and they support you, I can’t explain it.
We are very happy that cricket is back and we are playing against such a big team here.
The match is also important for local umpire Ahsan Raza, who will be officiating in a Test for the first time since surviving the terror attack in 2009.
The 47-year-old, then a reserve umpire, was shot in the back and was seriously injured. It took him six months to recover and resume his umpiring career.
Teams (from):
Pakistan: Babar Azam (Captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Hasan Ali, Zahid Mahmood , Naseem Shah
Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Mark Steketty, Steven Smith. Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Ehsan Raza (Pakistan)
TV umpire: Asif Yakub (Pakistan)
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Mr.)
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