Recalled opener Imam-ul-Haq cracked a brilliant maiden century Friday as Pakistan finished the opening day of the first Test against Australia on a commanding 245-1 in Rawalpindi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 26-year-old left-hander marked the first Test by Australia in Pakistan for 24 years with 132 not out, leaving the tourists frustrated on a dry and flat Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998 for security reasons, and on Friday at least 56 people were killed and nearly 200 wounded in a suicide bomb attack at a Shiite mosque in Peshawar, around 190 kilometres (120 miles) west of Rawalpindi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Officials have not yet commented on the blast or how it might affect the tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the close Friday, veteran batsman Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 64, having added 140 for the unbroken second wicket after Pakistan won a crucial toss and opted to bat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Haq put on a confident 105-run stand for the opening wicket with Abdullah Shafique as Australia used eight bowlers, but only spinner Nathan Lyon (1-87) managed a scalp in 31 tireless overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shafique miscued a lofted shot off Lyon in the penultimate over before lunch for 44.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shafique was shaping well after getting a life on 21 when Travis Head dropped a sharp chance at leg slip off Lyon, who extracted spin from the outset.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shafique hit three boundaries and a six during his enterprising knock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That brought Azhar to the crease, and the Pakistanis dominated the Australian attack -- forcing skipper Pat Cummins to use part-time spinners Head, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, but to no effect.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Haq, playing his first Test since December 2019, drove pacer Mitchell Starc to the cover boundary to complete his century in 277 minutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He has batted for 379 minutes, hitting 15 boundaries and two sixes, also improving on his previous best of 76 made against the same opponents in Dubai in October 2018.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When Haq reached the milestone the 12,000 crowd stood as one to applaud.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Azhar was also in sublime form, playing spin and pace with confidence in his 235-minute knock, spiced with four boundaries and a six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia will rue their questionable selection as they went into the Test with three pacers, a fast bowling allrounder and a lone spinner in Lyon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In contrast, Pakistan chose two spinners, a part-time slow bowler and two frontline quicks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n