Pakistan suffered due to missing an easy catch and not bowling aggressively as Australia had a cautious start on the opening day of the Second Test at the MCG. Pakistan gave away a second chance to David Warner and Steve Smith with dropped catches and failed to target the wickets, allowing the Aussies to finish on top despite several missed deliveries.
Rain disrupted play in the middle of the day, but Australia managed to reach stumps at 3-187 by the end of the day. Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head were in a good position to take advantage of more favorable batting conditions expected on the next day.
Former Pakistani skipper Waqar Younis criticized Pakistan’s fielding efforts, especially the dropped catch at first slip which allowed Warner to continue his innings. Usman Khawaja also missed an opportunity to capitalize as he played an unnecessary shot that led to his dismissal.
Despite the interruptions due to rain, a large crowd waited for over 3.5 hours to witness a resumed play later in the afternoon. Smith was dropped on 16, and then given out LBW on 19, only to be saved by a video review, leading to some tense moments in the final half-hour of play.
The article concludes with a preview of the expected playing conditions on the next day and a prediction that Australia would likely take control of the match unless Pakistan can perform better in the latter stages.