Pak vs Aus, 3rd Test | Rival captains expect another slow wicket in series decider

After receiving criticism on the Rawalpindi wicket, PCB flew in ICC Academy curator Toby Lumsden, who has assisted the local ground staff to prepare the Lahore Test wicket

Pakistan captain Babar Azam predicts another slow wicket will test the patience and skills of batters when the home team meets Australia in the decisive third and final Test on Monday.

Babar played one of the epic knocks in the fourth innings of a Test match when his marathon 196 defied Australia for over 10 hours and forced a draw at Karachi to keep the series locked at 0-0.

Australian spinners Nathan Lyon and debutant leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson bowled 108 of the 172 overs in the fourth innings at Karachi but Pakistan kept the visitors at bay by scoring 443-7 in over five sessions, falling short by 63 runs of the mammoth 506-run target.

The docile and lifeless wicket in the tame drawn Test at Rawalpindi saw Australia picking up just four out of the 14 wickets to fall and the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium also received one demerit point after being rated at “below average” by the ICC.

After receiving criticism on the Rawalpindi wicket, the Pakistan Cricket Board flew in ICC Academy curator Toby Lumsden, who has assisted the local ground staff to prepare the Lahore Test wicket.

“It's not much different, looks like the same pitch but I feel it will definitely give turn,” Babar told reporters via videoconference on Sunday.