Pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson has suffered a hip injury, adding to the dark cloud over Australia’s Test series against Pakistan who appear poised to claim a two-nil sweep.
Australia’s record of one win in 15 Tests in Asia since Shane Warne’s 2007 retirement is set to become even worse after another embarrassing day in Abu Dhabi.
Set a gigantic target of 603 to win the second Test on a pitch which assists the spinners, Australia will resume on Monday’s fifth and final day of play on 4-143.
Leading one-nil, Pakistan will be more than happy with a draw on Monday which would enable skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to claim Pakistan’s first Test-series win over Australia since 1994.
However a sweep looks more likely.
Australia lost the early wickets of Chris Rogers (two), Glenn Maxwell (four) and Michael Clarke (five) to the left-arm spin of Zulfiqar Babar (3-65).
Australia’s master batsman Clarke has made only 57 runs at 14.25 series.
David Warner’s attempted slog sweep went straight up in the air on 58 at 4-101, but the left-hander has been a star in this series with 239 runs at 59.75.
The 25-year-old Steve Smith (38 not out) and 23-year-old Mitchell Marsh (26) in his second Test are at the crease.
Injured pair Brad Haddin (shoulder) and Johnson (hip) are yet to bat in Australia’s second innings.
Details are sketchy on the extent of both players’ injuries and whether they will be available for the four-Test series against India in December in Australia.
Earlier, Misbah smashed a record-equalling 56-ball century as he twisted the knife into Australia’s bleeding torso.
Pakistan declared after lunch at 3-293 in their second innings following centuries from Misbah (101 not out) and Azhar Ali (100 not out).
The 40-year-old Misbah also hit the fastest half-century in Test history, off 21 balls.
Misbah proceeded to reach his hundred off 56 balls, equalling the mark of the great West Indies “Master Blaster” Viv Richards in 1986.
Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, who hit a 57-ball hundred against England in 2006, acknowledged the achievement.
“Congrats to Misbah on joining the original Master Blaster, Sir Viv with 56 ball Test Century,” Gilchrist said on Twitter.
Misbah struck 11 fours and five sixes in his seventh hundred in 50 Tests and second in this match.
Azhar added 131 for the third wicket with Younis Khan (46) who finished the series with a record tally of 468 runs.
Sixth-ranked Pakistan can jump three places if they beat second-ranked Australia two-nil.
FASTEST TEST CENTURIES
* Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq 56 balls v Australia, Abu Dhabi, 2014
* West Indies’ Viv Richards 56 balls v England, St John’s, 1986
* Australia’s Adam Gilchrist 57 balls v England, Perth 2006
MOST RUNS IN A TWO-TEST SERIES AGAINST AUSTRALIA
* 468 by Pakistan’s Younis Khan (average of 156) in UAE in 2014
* 403 by India’s Sachin Tendulkar (av 134.33) in India in 2010
AUSTRALIA CAPTAIN MICHAEL CLARKE IN 2014
* 294 runs at an average of 29.40 in six Tests.
