Australian skipper Pat Cummins bowled a bowling masterclass, collecting 10 wickets in the Boxing Day Test, shattering Pakistan’s resistance and securing Australia’s 79-run victory in the second Test, putting the three-match series at 2-0 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia annihilated Pakistan’s batting order. Pakistan were bowled out for 237 in the second innings while chasing a goal of 317, with Mitchell Starc taking four wickets. Captain Shan Masood blasted a quickfire 60 for Pakistan, while Salman Ali Agha also reached 50.
As the tournament drew to a close on the last day, Cummins emerged as the game-changer. He took his 250th Test wicket when he removed Pakistan’s last recognized batsman, Mohammad Rizwan.
Following this breakthrough, he quickly took Aamer Jamal’s wicket for a duck, necessitating an extra half-hour of play. Cummins took his fifth wicket of the innings and his tenth of the match during this period, effectively shredding Pakistan’s lower order.
This was Cummins’ second 10-wicket haul in 57 Test outings, and it rounded off a great year.
He led Australia to the World Test Championship, the 50-over World Cup, and Ashes retention in England triumphs. Despite Australia setting a difficult target of 317 runs, Pakistan demonstrated tenacity with multiple partnerships that baffled Australia’s vaunted bowling attack.