India were docked two crucial points in the opening Test against South Africa for bowling two overs short.
Australia has continued their successful journey in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. After retaining the Ashes in England, they have also performed admirably on their home turf. In the first Test of the three-match series against Pakistan at Perth, Australia emerged victorious by a massive 360-run margin. Building on this triumph, they have now taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the series by defeating Pakistan in the second Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
In the second Test, Australia was asked to bat first by Shan Masood, the Pakistani captain. The hosts put up a respectable total of 318 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne leading the charge with an impressive score of 68. Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh also contributed significantly with scores of 42 and 41 respectively. Pakistan's bowling efforts were marred by 52 extra runs conceded. Aamer Jamal, however, continued to impress with his bowling skills, taking 3 wickets for 64 runs.
In response, Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood spearheaded Pakistan's fightback with scores of 62 and 54 respectively, helping their team post a total of 264 runs in their first innings. Pat Cummins proved to be a formidable force for Australia, taking 5 wickets for 48 runs, while Nathan Lyon also made a significant contribution with 4 wickets for 73 runs.
Pakistan had a golden opportunity to apply pressure on Australia when they reduced them to 16/4 in the second innings. However, the trio of Mitchell Marsh (96), Alex Carey (53), and Steve Smith (50) spearheaded a remarkable comeback, propelling Australia to a total of 262 runs.
Chasing a target of 317 to secure their first Test victory in Australia since 1995, Shan Masood led the charge with a solid innings of 60, while Agha Salman contributed a valuable 50. Unfortunately for Pakistan, they were unable to produce the big innings they had hoped for, as Pat Cummins once again showcased his brilliance by claiming a five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5/49 and completing a total of 10 wickets in the match. Mitchell Starc also played his part, taking 4/55, as Pakistan crumbled and were dismissed for 237.
With a margin of 79 runs, Australia emerged victorious in the Test, securing a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The third Test is scheduled to take place in Sydney on January 3.
Following their triumph in the second Test against Pakistan, Australia's record now stands at 4 wins, 2 losses, and 1 drawn Test, giving them a win percentage of 50%. This has propelled them to the 3rd position in the World Test Championship points table. On the other hand, Pakistan has slipped to the 5th spot with a win percentage of 45.83%, having secured 2 wins and suffered 2 losses. India, who faced defeat in their first Test against South Africa, currently occupies the 6th position with a win percentage of 38.89%, having won one match, lost one, and drawn one, along with a penalty of 2 points for a slow over-rate.
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