Pakistan trail by 412 runs against Australia

Sydney, Jan 4 (IANS) Pakistan scored 126/2, trailing Australia by 412 runs on the second day of the third Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Wednesday.

Opener Azhar Ali (58) and Yunis Khan (64) were at the crease when umpires called off the day's play.

For Australia, pacer Josh Hazlewood scalped two wickets for 32 runs.

After Australia declared their first innings for 538/8, Pakistan started the proceedings on a poor note as they lost opener Sharjeel Khan (4) and Babar Azam (0) in the fourth over with just six runs on the board.

Khan was caught by Matt Renshaw off Hazlewood while Azam was adjudged leg before wicket (LBW) in the same over.

The fall of two quick wickets brought in veteran batsman Yunis Khan, who along with Azhar steadied the boat for Pakistan.

They forged a crucial 120-run unbeaten partnership for the third wicket to take their team out of trouble.

Earlier, resuming the day at 365/3, overnight batsmen Renshaw (184) and Peter Handscomb (110) stitched together a 142-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Renshaw was bowled by Imran Khan in the 94th over.

unperturbed by the fall of wicket, Handscomb went on to score a brilliant century before he got hit wicket off pacer Wahab Riaz when scoreboard was reading 516. His 205-ball knock was laced with nine boundaries.

Lower-order batsmen Hilton Cartwright (37), Matthew Wade (29) and Mitchell Starc (16) also contributed to help Australia post a massive first inning total.

For Pakistan, Riaz scalped three wickets while Khan and Azhar took two wickets each.

Brief score: Australia 538/8 declare (Renshaw 184, Warner 113, Handscomb 110, Wahab 3-89) vs Pakistan 126/2 (Younis 64 not out), Azhar Ali 58 not out, Hazlewood 2-32).