Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match Highlights: Nathan Lyon Attains 500th Test Wickets as Australia Triumphs Over Pakistan by 360 Runs
World Test Championship December 17 23 Lyon Achieves Membership in the 500 Club as AUS Clinches a Resounding Victory Against PAK in Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match. In the inaugural Test match in Perth, Nathan Lyon etched his name in the history books by surmounting 500 Test wickets, steering Australia to a convincing 360-run triumph over Pakistan.
In Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match Lyon, who already held the third position of highest wicket-takers for Australia in Test cricket, now joins the elite club of bowlers to cross the 500-wicket milestone. The 36-year-old spinner achieved this remarkable feat by ensnaring Faheem Ashraf in front of the stumps, claiming Pakistan’s seventh wicket. He showcased his prowess by dismissing Aamer Jamal three balls later, securing his 501st wicket.
With an imposing target of 450, Pakistan could not withstand the Australian bowling attack and was dismissed for a mere 89 runs, handing Australia a commanding 360-run victory. This victory also ranks Australia’s second-largest margin of victory by runs against Pakistan in Test cricket.
Earlier in the day, despite losing the wickets of Steve Smith and Travis Head, Australia continued to push forward, with Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh both reaching half-centuries. The duo accelerated during the middle session of the game, with Khawaja scoring 90 runs before Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed him.
Captain Pat Cummins declared Australia’s innings after Khawaja’s dismissal, leaving Marsh unbeaten on 63* from 68 deliveries. Australia made an early breakthrough in Pakistan’s second innings, as Mitchell Starc found the edge of Abdullah Shafique in his opening over. Josh Hazlewood followed suit by dismissing Captain Shan Masood, while Imam-ul-Haq was adjudged lbw to Starc after scoring just 10 runs.
Babar Azam was dismissed shortly before tea left Australia, requiring only six more wickets to secure the victory. Australia consistently pressured the Pakistani batsmen, capturing wickets regularly and disrupting budding partnerships. After Lyon’s spectacular performance, Josh Hazlewood claimed the final two wickets in the same over, ending Pakistan’s resistance.
The Player of the Match was awarded to Mitchell Marsh for his impressive innings of 90 and an unbeaten 63*. He also played a pivotal role by dismissing Babar Azam in the first innings. With this win, Pakistan’s undefeated streak in the World Test Championship 2025 has been broken, and they have slipped to second place. Meanwhile, Australia occupies the fifth spot with a winning percentage of 41.67. Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match ended on Australis victory now the second Test between the two teams is scheduled to commence on December 26 at the MCG.
Shan and Hafeez criticize Pakistan’s reserved batting strategy in the 1st-innings
After Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match, Shan and Hafeez Critique Pakistan’s Cautious Batting Approach in the First Innings In the opening Test at Perth, Pakistan’s pursuit of a 450-run target crumbled, resulting in a mere 89 runs on the board. Pakistan’s Captain Shan Masood and Team Director Mohammad Hafeez expressed their disapproval of Pakistan’s restrained batting approach in the first innings, ultimately contributing to a resounding 360-run victory for Australia.
Chasing a target of 450, Pakistan’s batsmen struggled, managing just 89 runs. Nathan Lyon claimed 2-18, while Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood each secured three wickets. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Shan Masood expressed his disappointment, emphasizing that Pakistan could have adopted a more aggressive stance despite facing one of the world’s best bowling attacks.
“When you come here, you look for progress. If you had told us at the start of the Test that Australia would play 110 overs and we would play 100 overs, I would have accepted that as a batting unit. Even though we were up against one of the best bowling attacks in the world, we could have batted more aggressively. We probably missed out on scoring 60 or 70 runs, which could have reduced the deficit,” Masood remarked during the post-match presentation.
Similarly, Hafeez revealed that the players’ tactical errors and a lack of application contributed to Pakistan’s inability to seize crucial moments. “We couldn’t execute our skills. We made plans as a team, but unfortunately, we couldn’t execute them as a team. The players wanted to, but they failed to apply themselves, to be honest. We made a few tactical errors as a team. There were situations where we could have dominated, but our execution wasn’t up to par,” Hafeez lamented during the post-match press conference.
After dismissing Australia for 487 in the first innings, Pakistan’s openers, Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, adopted a cautious approach, adding 74 runs at a rate of two runs per over while negotiating the new ball. However, their slow start saw Pakistan bat for 53 overs on day two, ending with a score of 132 for 2 at the stumps. In contrast, Shan Masood stood out with his aggressive intent, scoring 30 runs off 43 balls in the first innings.
Mohammad Hafeez voices his support for Sarfaraz Ahmed
After Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match, Mohammad Hafeez Expresses Support for Sarfaraz Ahmed Following Pakistan’s comprehensive 360-run defeat in the Perth Test, Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s Team Director, has voiced his support for the struggling wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed. Despite Pakistan’s collapse for a mere 89 runs while chasing a 450-run target, Hafeez defended Sarfaraz, who managed just three runs in the first and four in the second innings, falling to Mitchell Starc on both occasions.
At the post-match press conference, Hafeez highlighted Sarfaraz’s outstanding performance during the New Zealand series in Pakistan and urged against hasty judgments based on one match. “Sarfaraz has delivered numerous outstanding performances for Pakistan. In the New Zealand series in Pakistan, he was exceptional. Yes, several months have passed since then, but priority should be given to our best performers from the recent series.
Unfortunately, according to our expectations, this match didn’t go well for Sarfaraz. However, we should not hastily alter our perception after just one match,” Hafeez emphasized. Despite Sarfaraz’s subpar performance in the Perth Test, Hafeez cautioned against doubting the Player’s abilities and highlighted his experience in touring countries such as Australia, South Africa, and England.
“Sarfaraz is not new to international cricket; he has previously toured Australia, South Africa, and England. He is not inexperienced in these conditions. While he may not have met our expectations as a batsman and keeper in this match, it does not warrant doubting his skills or suggesting that he can only perform in specific conditions,” Hafeez added.
Saud Shakeel established a new world record in Test cricket
In Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test Match, Saud Shakeel Establishes Another Test Cricket World Record Saud Shakeel has once again left an indelible mark on the history of Test cricket. Saud Shakeel has carved his name into the annals of Test cricket history by achieving a remarkable world record. He becomes the first batsman in the 146-year history of Test cricket to consistently score 20 or more runs in 15 consecutive innings right from the beginning of his Test career.
Saud accomplished this feat during Pakistan’s second innings in the Perth Test as they chased a formidable target of 450 runs. This attainment surpasses the previous record held by Sir Everton Weekes, who managed a streak of 14 innings. Earlier this year, Saud had notched up his seventh half-century during the second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Colombo on the third day.
This accomplishment made Shakeel the first batsman in Test history to record a fifty in each of his first seven Tests. Shakeel has outperformed legendary cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar, Basil Butcher, Saeed Ahmad, and Bert Sutcliffe, who scored fifty or more runs in their first six Test matches.
