PAK Vs AUS, First Test, Day 3: Australia 271/2 At Stumps, Trail Pakistan By 205 Runs

After Australia struggled on the first two days for wickets, Pakistan too found it hard to get breakthrough on Day 3. David Warner and Usman Khawaja extended their opening partnsership to 156 runs before Warner was cleaned up by Sajid Khan. Khawaja was next to fall on the ball of Nauman Ali. This is when Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne dug in their heels and stitched unbeaten 68-run partnsership for the third wicket to keep Australia in the game. Follow Day 3 highlights of PAK vs AUS first Test. (SCORECARD | LIVE STREAMING | INDIA vs SRI LANKA LIVE)

05:14 PM IST: Stumps

Here is the inevitable. We are done for the day as the umpires officially call for Stumps. This was always coming given the bad light was accompanied by drizzle making play almost impossible.

AUS 271/2 (73)

05:02 PM IST: No Improvement

The weather at Rawalpinidi doesn't seem to be in a mood to let the match happen today.

04:26 PM IST: Bad Light Stops Play

The bad light has eventually forced the umpires to stop the game. The same had happened yesterday as well and Stumps were called later on. Will the game on Day 3 have the same fate? Wait for a moment, the weather will make it 'clear'.

Steven Smith is unbeaten on 24 and Marnus Labuschagne is 69 not out.

AUS 271/2 (73)

04:10 PM IST: Australia In The Game

The partnership between Steve Smith (18*) and Marnus Labuschagne (63*) is now of 55 runs. Australia have recovered well since the fall of Usman Khawaja's wicket in the second session.

Light has got weak at Rawalpindi but not Australia's morale, they are fighting with extreme positivity.

AUS 258/2 (70)

03:56 PM IST: Fifty For Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne races to fifty off 91 balls. His innings is laced with 7 fours.

AUS 245/2 (66)

03:36 PM IST: Final Session

We are into the final session of the day. Nauman Ali bowled the first over of the session and 5 came off it.

AUS 227/2 (62)

03:17 PM IST: Tea

The second session ends here. Pakistan got two wickets in the session. Both openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja are in the dugout now.

AUS 222/2 (61)

03:08 PM IST: Match Hangs in Balance

Steve Smith is unbeaten on 7 while Marnus Labuschagne is 32 not out. The two need to stitch a big partnership to save Australia in this game as they still trail Pakistan by 260 runs. On the other hand, the hosts need a couple of wickets to put Australia under pressure.

AUS 216/2 (60)

02:38 PM IST: Khawaja Out For 97

Usman Khawaja goes for reverse sweep. Huge shout for a catch at short leg by Imam-ul-Haq. Umpire unmoved. Pakistan take review and it's from the glove. A fine innings comes to an end. Khawaja goes for 97 off 159. Steven Smith is the new man.

PAK 203/2 (53.3)

02:27 PM IST: Resilient Australia

Usman Khawaja is going good. He just needs 5 more to reach to his 11th Test ton. Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne is unbeaten on 20.

AUS 192/1 (51)

01:41 PM IST: Out! Warner Gone

David Warner has been dismisssed by Sajid Khan. The off-spinner kept it straight and a low bounce saw Warner's stumps getting rattled.

Marnus Labuschagne is the next bowler.

AUS 156/1 (40.4)

01:30 PM IST: Second Session

We are into the second session now. Pakistan will look to get some wickets early.

12:34 PM IST: Lunch Break

That's the lunch break on Day 3 and Australian openers will go back to pavilion with high confidence. They have added unbeaten 138 runs for the first wicket that too in just 33 overs. Both the players have scored fifties. Usman Khawaja is batting on 70 off 104 balls while David Warner is not out on 60 off 97.

AUS 138/0 (33)

12:27 PM IST: Fifty For Warner

David Warner raced to his 33rd Test fifty on the first ball of the 31st over.

AUS 136/0 (31)

11:53 AM IST: Fifty For Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja races to his fifty off just 67 balls. What an innings this has been. He has looked extremely positive.

AUS 86/0 (21.1)

11:26 AM IST: Australia Fight Back

A lot of plays and misses in the first hour of the first session. Pakistan had their chance when Usman Khawaja had nicked one to Fawad Alam at gully but the opportunity went begging. Meanwhile, the best thing both Khawaja and David Warner have done so far is to score when got an opportunity.

AUS 56/0 (14.5)

10:41 AM IST: AUS 18/0 (5)

Some close calls but both the Australian batters Usman Khawaja and David Warner are still there at the crease.

10: 25 AM IST: Game Time

The match on Day 3 starts with Naseem Shah bowling the first over. One run came off it.

AUS 6/0 (2)

09: 56 AM IST: Early Start Today

The play on Day 2 will start 10 minutes early as some overs were lost on the preceding day due to bad light. The start time for today is 10:20 AM IST.

09:51 AM IST: Good Morning

Hello guys, welcome to the Day 3 live blog of Pakistan Vs Australia first Test. Australia will be starting the day at 5/0 as they trail the hosts by 471 runs.

Did Pakistan declare a shade too late on Day 2 on Saturday? Did their top order batsmen fail to score at a faster rate? Will the centuries by Naim Ul Haq and Azhar Ali help force a decision in this historic Test?

These were the questions doing the rounds after bad light ended play on Saturday. Pakistan's plan to let their bowlers have a go in overcast conditions was spoilt by the fading light.

A lot will depend on how Shaheen Shah Afridi used the one-over old ball Sunday morning. But Pakistan will bank on their spinners as the Pindi wicket is expected to turn from Day 3. Off-spinner Sajid Khan starting with the new balls was a clear indication.

Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon bowled the bulk of the overs on a slow wicket devoid of grass but finished with 1-161 off his 52 overs. Pakistan batsmen handled the Australian bowlers very well.

Azhar Ali shared a 208-run second wicket stand with Imam-ul-Haq (157), whose wicket was the only one to fall in the first two sessions on Saturday when the left hander was trapped leg before wicket by Pat Cummins after lunch.

Ali and Imam frustrated Australia with their snail-paced batting by adding 57 runs in the first session after Pakistan resumed at the overnight 245 for one and reached 302 without further damage.