THERE has hardly been a dull day in the ongoing first Test in which Pakistan continue to impress with both bat and ball. Having batted well in both innings they have not only managed to tighten their hold on the match but, in fact, have placed themselves in a position from where they can go one up in the two match series.

Nevertheless, a win for Pakistan still depends on how well Misbah-ul-Haq’s men perform with the ball and how smartly they are backed by their fielders. It is important for them, therefore, to bowl to a plan as they did in the first innings to clinch a valuable lead.

On the other hand, it is a known fact that the Australians are no pushovers and have the reputation of shying away from a fight.

They are left with a mammoth 438 runs to win or to save this match with three sessions of the final day’s play now left.

Pakistan having dented them will obviously not let this opportunity slip if they continue in the same vain working out the downfall of the Aussie batsmen. Having picked up important wickets in the fading hours of the day Misbah’s men have no doubt got the bull by the horn.

In this nerve-tickling Test for Aussies it would be more than a herculean effort to upset the odds which obviously is tilted in Pakistan’s favour.

Playing the fourth innings has never been a piece of cake, no matter what the state of the pitch is and how ineffective the bowling attack is. The pressure of getting to the target is always a worry and haunts the mind. A couple of quick wickets make all the difference.

Pakistan bowlers have already struck depriving Australians of a good start. The danger man David Warner, the first innings century-maker, fell early as did Michael Clarke and two further wickets now make Pakistan favourites.

All eyes will be on both Pakistan and Australia today and the final day could be as absorbing as the rest of the days.

Yesterday Younis Khan scored another hundred which now puts him in a class of his own and also made him the seventh Pakistan batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test and also got him past Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 25 hundreds the highest for Pakistan.

The last time someone scored a hundred in each innings against Australia was 40 years ago at Christchurch when Glenn Turner, the most prolific Kiwi opener, achieved the milestone.

Sarfraz Ahmed’s blistering century on the third day and Ahmed Shehzad’s eye-catching ton yesterday was heartwarming to say the least and made the day’s play worth remembering.

Gritty Shehzad’s brilliance against the pace of Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle and spin of Nathan Lyon and O’Keefe respectively put Younis for a while in his shade.

There is nothing more pleasing to the eye than watching a batsman go down the wicket and hit fast bowlers in front of the wicket showing little respect or fear if any. Shehzad was brilliant in scoring runs quickly.

At the end of the day Australia was down on their knees having lost vital wickets.

Getting away from a situation as grim as this Australia will now need more than their lady luck.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014