Although Shafiq did not have a great series until the final Test, his promotion to No.4 worked wonders as he scored just his second Test century outside Asia.
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Yasir’s return to form was timely.
Pakistan have never won a Test series in Australia and, even if they rise to the top of the world with a series draw in England, they will not be fancied to better that against Steve Smith’s men.
England, 214 runs adrift on first innings, suffered a setback early in their second knock when Alastair Cook (7), the captain, was squared up by a lifting Wahab Riaz delivery and Iftikhar Ahmed, the debutant, going to his right, held a good catch at first slip.
Vince then drove Yasir loosely to Misbah-ul-Haq at short cover to trudge off for a three-ball duck. But with a qualified faith in his team-mate’s durability, Younis took it upon himself to farm the strike as best he could, seeking to limit Amir to one or two balls per over, while cashing in as best he could at the business end of each over. Yasir’s bowling worked wonders for the visitors as he also got rid of well settled Joe Root.
The tourists went into Saturday’s action on 340-6, a lead of just 12 runs, but quickly went about their business, with Younus Khan becoming the star of the show.
Finn, who took three for 110 in Pakistan’s innings, paid tribute to Shafiq and Younis by saying: “The two guys who got hundreds played fantastically, negated us and got us exhausted – fielding 140-odd overs – and they reaped their rewards”.
Unbeaten on 101 overnight, Younus was unhurried in defence and impressive on the drive, rarely troubled by a tiring attack that struggled to extract movement from a true surface under blue skies.
It was a becalmed Sarfraz who fell to a one-handed diving catch by Jonny Bairstow after Woakes found the edge.
Wahab contributed only four to an alliance of 31 for the eighth wicket, yet the partnership that did the greatest damage to England’s mental state was the ninth, which spanned 20 overs.
Amir took 24 balls to get off the mark but did so in dashing fashion when he hoisted Moeen for six over deep midwicket.
If Shafiq came into this game on the back of a miserable third Test, Younus had not passed 33 in six innings in the series.
England, perhaps because it was Root, reviewed but it was another wasted challenge and the hosts were 74 for 4, with Yasir’s stumps figures of 3 for 15 in seven overs a testament to his effectiveness.
“They may have had hard times with the bat, but everyone in the dressing room backs them to get through it – and we hope they’ll both have long worldwide careers to come”.
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott: “Pakistan played fantastically”.
Centurion Shafiq was one of three Pakistan batsmen who were dropped before lunch on day two and England’s assistant coach Paul Farbrace admitted that was a concern.
“England are so frustrating”.
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England bowler Steven Finn: “I wouldn’t say it’s mental fatigue”. They bowled well; they applied pressure.
