[Watch] Adam Gilchrist accurately predicts Abdullah Shafique’s wicket during Day 4 of AUS vs PAK 2nd Test

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist, who is commentating on the ongoing Australia-Pakistan Test series, accurately predicted Abdullah Shafique’s wicket during Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, December 29.

Australia beat Pakistan by 79 runs to clinch the second Test and the three-match series 2-0. Having set Pakistan a target of 317, they bowled out the visitors for 237 in 67.2 overs. The Aussies resumed their second innings on Day 4 at 187/6 and ended up posting 262 as Alex Carey contributed a crucial 53 off 101 balls.

Australia’s bowlers kept things extremely tight at the start of Pakistan’s second innings. They bowled three maidens in a row (overs two to four). At the beginning of the fifth over, Gilchrist, who was on air, predicted that a wicket was likely to fall since the pressure had been built due to three consecutive maiden overs.

He was proved right as Shafique (4) fell to the first ball of the fifth over, nicking a pitched-up delivery from left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, which was nipping away, to Usman Khawaja in the slip cordon. The dismissal ended a poor game for the Pakistan cricketer. He was very poor in the field even though he scored a defiant 62 off 109 balls in the first innings.

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Australian captain Pat Cummins scythes through Pakistan’s batting

Australian captain Pat Cummins continued his brilliance with the ball, registering his second five-wicket haul in the match on Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. After Starc got rid of Shafique, Cummins trapped the other opener Imam-ul-Haq lbw for 12.

The right-arm pacer also ended Pakistan captain Shan Masood’s resistance for 60 off 71 balls. He forced an edge off the left-hander, which was gobbled up in the slips.

Cummins then dismissed Mohammad Rizwan (35) with a short ball. It was a somewhat contentious dismissal as the third umpire reckoned that the ball hit the batter’s wristband, but the Pakistan keeper-batter was not convinced with the call.

Cummins went on to add the scalps of Aamer Jamal and Shaheen Afridi to complete a well-deserved 10-wicket Test match haul. Starc also chipped in with 4/55, including the last wicket of Mir Hamza as the Aussies registered a hard-fought win at the MCG.