Australia's Lead Stretches to 300 runs
Pakistan's pace attack bounced back with fiery spells in the last session.
Nathan Lyon will be eyeing the 500th Test Wicket when Pakistan bats in the second innings. At the end of Day 3 Australia leads by 300 runs with Khawaja and Smith already added 79 runs for the third wicket despite the early loss of David Warner (0) and Marnus Labuschagne (2) in their second innings. Pakistan will have to rewrite their records if they are to snatch victory in the first Test.
Khawaja and Smith ensure to take Australia home without any further damage.
The only time Pakistan recorded a Test win batting fourth came at the SCG in 1976-77 when they chased the target of 32 which they achieved for the loss of two wickets.
Continuing from their overnight score of 132/2 Pakistan collapsed adding 138 more runs in barely 50 overs. Babar Azam (21), Saud Shakeel (28), Sarfaraz Ahmed (3), and Faheem Ashraf (9) could not resist long in front Aussie bowling unit. Agha Salman remains not out 28 from 76. Imam ul Haq scored 62 before being stumped on the Lyon delivery. Eventually all out on 271 at TEA. Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers (3-66 from 24 overs). He is a wicket away from joining the exclusive club of 500 Test wicket-takers (currently numbering seven) when he claimed his 499th late in Pakistan's innings with only last man Shaheen Shah Afridi whose wicket went into the part-timer Travis Head's way.
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Starting the second inning with a massive lead of 216 runs Aussies faced a firey spell of Pakistan's quick before being 5 for 2 as debutant Khurram Shahzad dismissed first-inning century maker David Warner for a duck and Marnus Labuschagne for just 2. Later Usman Khawaja (34) and Steven Smith (43) took home at the stumps.
Steve Smith after being hit on the forearm late on day three.
Australia is likely to score quickly if they are to push for victory. They will be aiming to take the lead of around 450 to 500 runs on Day 4 before putting Pakistan in to bat again.
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