Pak vs Aus: Imam-ul-Haq brings up maiden century as Pakistan frustrate Australia in first Test

ISLAMABAD: Imam-ul-Haq scored his maiden test century to help Pakistan put up 200 for the loss of one after tea on the opening day of the first Test against Australia in Rawalpindi on Friday.

The bespectacled 26-year-old raised 105 runs with fellow opener Abdullah Shafique to give Pakistan a strong start after captain Babar Azam’s opted to bat first.

Imam, who has scored 107 with the help of 13 fours and two sixes for his first Test hundred, and Azhar Ali, on 44, had batted through the entire second session to frustrate Australia.

Imam was not completely at ease initially but used his feet well against the spinners hitting Nathan Lyon for two sixes during his knock.

Australia are in Pakistan for the first time in 24 years for a full tour, which could potentially lead to regular visits by top teams who have largely stayed away since a 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore.

Australia players wore black armbands in memory of former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh who died aged 74 on Friday. The teams also observed a minute’s silence for the Australian stalwart.

Josh Hazlewood returned from a side injury to replace Scott Boland in Australia’s three-pronged pace attack but an early breakthrough eluded the tourists.

Cummins used up a review trying to get Imam lbw by Mitchell Starc, then introduced spin in the eighth over.

Abdullah stepped out to hit Lyon over the long-on rope for a six and Imam would later give Australia’s frontline spinner the same treatment.

Lyon finally broke the stand when Abdullah stepped out only to sky the ball high in the air, allowing Cummins to run from mid-off to take a tumbling catch.

All-rounder Cameron Green, who was not even born when Australia last toured Pakistan in 1998, was pressed into attack in the second session but without any success.

Playing XI:

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah

Australia: Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Match officials: Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee).