Mohammad Rizwan gave Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne a gentle rub on his right arm.© PCB/Twitter
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan gave Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne a gentle rub on his right arm after the latter was struck by a ball while batting on the third day of the opening Test between the two sides in Rawalpindi on Sunday. Labuschagne was facing a delivery from Pakistan spinner Nauman Ali when he failed to connect while trying to sweep it towards leg. The ball spun in a way that it hit Labuschagne’s right forearm after pitching outside the leg stump. Rizwan, who was keeping behind the stumps, stepped in to help Labuschagne and gave the latter a gentle rub on his right forearm.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a video of the incident on Twitter on Sunday. “Rizwan is more than happy to help!” read the caption accompanying the video.
Rizwan is more than happy to help#BoysReadyHain l #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/yV9H595UAo
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 6, 2022
Earlier on Sunday, Australian opener Usman Khawaja missed out on a century in the country of his birth by three runs as his side made a strong response to Pakistan.
Bad light stopped play and then rain poured down with Australia on 271-2, trailing Pakistan by 205 runs with eight wickets remaining after the home side declared Saturday at 476-4. Labuschagne was on 69 and Steve Smith 24.
Pakistan’s seam bowling duo and their three slow bowlers found the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch as unresponsive as the tourists did on the first two days when only four wickets fell, with little spin and no reverse swing.
But Pakistan only had themselves to blame for not making a crucial breakthrough as Khawaja was dropped twice in a clumsy fielding display by the hosts.
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With rain forecast for the last two days, a result is unlikely. The second Test in in Karachi from March 12-16, and the third in Lahore from March 21-25.
(With AFP inputs)
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