Shafiq resistance rescues Pakistan from peril

Pakistan's recent history is full of batting collapses, so when they lost four wickets for three runs after a 75-run opening partnership between Azhar Ali and Shan Masood, another crippling collapse looked imminent.

At that stage, it seemed the tourists would be bundled out for a paltry total but a brilliant innings from Asad Shafiq, who scored 76 off 143 balls at No.4, rescued Pakistan and took them to a total of 240.

Three years ago, at the same ground, Shafiq had played the best innings of his career when he scored 137 chasing a target of 490. Pakistan didn't win the match but his innings took them to just 39 runs short of the mammoth target.

His 76 in this match is not a big innings by his standards but it saved Pakistan from what could have been an embarrassing total, an innings more remarkable when considering he was playing his first international match after a gap of ten months due to Pakistan's empty Test schedule.

Shafiq combined with gloveman Mohammad Rizwan to add 49 runs for the sixth wicket and then with leg-spinner Yasir Shah to add another 84. The two partnerships brought Pakistan back in the game before they had another collapse losing three wickets with the score on 227.

As he watched wickets tumble around him, Shafiq was determined to see his side out of trouble.

"I used to bat at six so I had an experience of batting with the tail. We had a collapse in the middle-order so I looked to build a partnership. I wanted to go until end," said Shafiq after the end of play.

"We didn't reach the total we wanted but still we got a respectable total. We showed some very good fight.

"In the morning session the ball was doing a bit and you have to give credit to the Australian bowlers. They did not give any freebies or allow us to make runs quickly. I think they (the opening batters) were thinking seeing off the good bowlers."

There is something about playing against Australia which brings the best out of. Since making 89 in his maiden Test innings against Aussies in Dubai in 2014, he has amassed 590 runs at an average of 45.38. The only team against who he has a better average is Bangladesh (70.20). There was also a knock of 80 in Dubai last year.

But the first glimpse of his love affair against the Australians was witnessed in limited-overs internationals. Chasing 176 in a high-profile World Cup match in Colombo 2011, Shafiq impressed with 46 off 81 balls. Not only did it hand Pakistan an important win, it also ended Australia's streak of 34 consecutive matches without a defeat in World Cups.

"Australia is a world-class team," Sahfiq said. "If you look at their bowlers they are in the top rankings.

"The pitches here help fast bowling and their bowlers know the conditions very well so I really love it when I perform against them. As a player and batsman, you get lot of confidence.

"Of course, you love playing against a top-quality team. You get confidence by playing against a good bowling lineup.

"The whole world has its eyes on you when you are playing in Australia. The performance here is really counted."

Shafiq is in good touch since he has landed in Australia. He came into this match on the back of two fine centuries – 119 against Australia A and 101 not out against Cricket Australia XI in the two tour games in Perth.

He looked well set to complete a hat-trick of centuries in Brisbane but Pat Cummins, in his first over with the second new ball, got the better of him with a delivery that jagged back in and shattered his stumps.

His services, however, will be needed in the second innings. The fact that he hasn't missed a Test in eight years and holds the record for playing the most consecutive Tests (65 and counting) for Pakistan shows how important he is to the team.

Despite some poor phases in his career, Pakistan has always persisted with him. Innings like the one he has played in the Gabba tell us why Pakistan trust him so much. 

Domain Test Series v Pakistan

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

First Test: November 21-25, Gabba (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

Second Test: November 29 – December 3, Adelaide (d/n) (Seven, Fox & Kayo)