Angelo Mathews, playing his 100th Test, batted aggressively and got a reprieve when Babar floored a sitter at cover when the batsman was on 36.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah marks his return to the national men's team as Pakistan on Wednesday announced an 18-member squad for next month's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
Despite persisting questions among peer officers in the army about his professional competence and ethics, after his recent 'triumphal' Kabul sojourn, Faiz Hameed remains the hot favourite of both General Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing.
Former Test captain Shahid Afridi said it would be a dream come true to have a Pakistan vs India final on Sunday at the MCG.
Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has tested positive for COVID-19 and he will not depart for Lahore with his side later on Wednesday evening.
Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, who has been replaced as ISI chief, will remain in the forefront of Pakistani initiatives in Afghanistan as also in the peace talks with the Tehrik e Taliban, Pakistan. He will also get a year plus to serve in a corps command, remaining in the race for selection as the next army chief when General Bajwa retires in November 2022, explains Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing.
Ravindra Jadeja's performance at India's recent Test win against Sri Lanka in Mohali has catapulted him to the No. 1 position in the MRF Tyres ICC men's Test player rankings.
Significantly, these 12 officers would form a major part of the team that the new army chief will inherit, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
The tourists had elected to bat and posted a massive 510 for eight declared, boosted by a maiden double-ton for opener Abid Ali, who spent almost 11 hours at the crease for his 215.
Khawaja and Smith steadied the ship batting through the second session.
On a Karachi track that is expected to break up early, Steve Smith and David Warner created rough patches before facing bowlers in the nets to prepare for Pakistan's full-strength attack.
If General Asim Munir, Pakistan's new army chief, wants to help defuse the current polarised atmosphere and shepherd civilian politicians towards negotiations on an acceptable date for elections, he may need to distance himself from any perception of needless hostility to Imran Khan, explains Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
Fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi finished with four wickets apiece for the hosts with a brilliant display of reverse-swing bowling on a pitch offering variable bounce.
The military establishment is in no mood to forgive or forget Imran's anti-military utterances, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RAW, India's external intelligence agency.
Pakistan left-handed batter Fawad Alam and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi have achieved career-best positions in the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings after helping Pakistan win the second Test against the West Indies in Kingston to draw their two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-1.
Australia, on their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, finished day three 205 behind but scored freely after resuming on five for no loss.
Leg-spinner Shah's selection was subject to the 35-year-old clearing a fitness test, chief selector Mohammad Wasim said in a statement.
The former Pakistan captain said he was not worried about his future and is taking it one series at a time.
Quinton de Kock blamed poor shot selection and some anxious cricket in their first innings
Fawad Alam put Pakistan in control of the first Test against South Africa, chalking up a superb century to lead the home side to 308 for eight by the close of day two in Karachi for a first innings lead of 88 runs.
Pick through these lovely pictures!
The IAF 'evidence' shows that the S-2000 laser-guided munition hit the intended targets causing significant 'internal damage', sources said.
Virat Kohli has held on to his fifth spot in the latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen.
Pakistan set South Africa a daunting target of 370 to win the second and final Test in Rawalpindi
Nauman Sait emerged victorious in the MTV Roadies Hell Down Under show, beating the other finalists Kiri and Palak.
South Africa's openers Dean Elgar (15) and Aiden Markram were positive at the start of the innings, but disaster struck as they lost two wickets in the final two balls of the middle session.
In a surprise military shake-up, the Pakistan Army on Wednesday announced that the powerful spy agency ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed has been appointed as Peshawar Corps Commander -- a crucial position in view of the Taliban's takeover of neighbouring Afghanistan.
Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen hit half-centuries before Yasir Shah's late strikes gave Pakistan the upperhand, on Day 3 of the first Test, in Karachi, on Thursday.
Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency, on the latest changes among Pakistan's top generals.
Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza is the Pakistan army's new chief of general staff, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
Experienced Pakistan players Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Sami received surprise call-ups to the national side for the two T20 matches against the touring Zimbabwe team after spending close to three years in the wilderness.
Wondering where most of them disappeared?
A 17-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and gangraped by three persons, including a Bahujan Samaja Party MLA's son, police said.
Keeping trusted men in key positions at Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar has become vital for Bajwa, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
Major General Asif Ghafoor's transfer indicates General Qamar Bajwa is well in control once more, pushing behind the discontent among the peer group of senior generals over extension of his tenure, says Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
And while the miraculous turn-of-events was taking place at a packed EdenGardens in Kolkata, one cricketing legend was over the moon at a television studio in neighbouring Pakistan.
Jitender Kumar beat former World Championship bronze medallist Nauman Karim of Pakistan to advance to the light-flyweight category quarter-finals of the second Asian Olympic Boxing qualifiers at Astana, Kazakhstan, on Tuesday. The Haryana boxer beat Karim, a bronze medallist in the 2003 World Championships, on points in a bout marred by a computer failure that necessitated manual scoring.
General Bajwa gets inputs from his senior officers, but he has the final word, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
'With the extension issue settled clearly in his favour, Gen Bajwa would be free to fashion a more hardline policy against India. 'We could, therefore, expect a raising of the ante in Kashmir,' says Rana Banerji.
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