Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon snatch unlikely win for Australia
No fewer than 141 overs were lost to rain but Australia, led by their captain Steven Smith, secured a dramatic Test and series victory with the last hour to spare at the MCG.
No fewer than 141 overs were lost to rain but Australia, led by their captain Steven Smith, secured a dramatic Test and series victory with the last hour to spare at the MCG.
Maybe it should be, maybe it is time, maybe he should walk away now and enjoy everything he has achieved, has won, has fought for. Maybe he should. But I don't want it to be over
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq struggled to explain how his side ended up losing by an innings in a Test which they had begun by declaring on 443.
Pakistan's most defeats in a Test year, Starc collects an MCG record, and other stats highlights from the fifth day of the second Test between Australia and Pakistan in Melbourne
Misbah-ul-Haq has raised the possibility that he may leave international cricket, even as soon as before the third and final Test of Pakistan's series against Australia.
Dismissals, drops, catches, trends, they all came together to form a tune that would haunt Pakistan for a long time
Steven Smith has come out in praise of his team, particularly Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc, who pulled off an unlikely victory on the final day at the MCG.
Nathan Lyon began the fifth day at the MCG uncertain of his place in the side for the Sydney Test. By the end of play, he stepped back from the precipice with a spell that set the tone for Australia's unlikely win
Peter Handscomb scored his third score of fifty-plus in as many Tests, and Steven Smith passed a half-century too, to help Australia close the gap with Pakistan's lead in the first session of the
Australia have struggled to find a No. 6 batsman in Tests and it appears the search will continue for a while
Stats highlights from a rain-curtailed fourth day in Melbourne
Australia's captain Steven Smith has declined to name Nathan Lyon a certain starter for the Sydney Test, declaring that Australia needed greater consistency from the offspinner.
There is little doubt that Pakistan have planned and executed poorly with the ball in this series. Bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, however, did not have all the answers to explain this area of concern
An imperious Azhar Ali and destructive Sohail Khan sent the Australians scurrying with an unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 116 to catapult Pakistan well past 400
Stats highlights from the MCG Test, where Azhar Ali became the first Pakistan batsman to hit two scores of 200-plus in a year
The Australia opener's bizarre year in Test cricket ended with a chancy but memorable hundred, which has changed the game's momentum
The frequency with which the Pakistan fast bowler has overstepped in recent Tests is almost alarming, and, at the MCG against Australia, it marred what was otherwise a sensational spell
The commentator was taken back to hospital shortly after resuming broadcasting duties on day three of the Boxing Day Test.
Yasir Shah bowled predominantly with a six-three, leg-side field on the third day at the MCG, and it allowed the Australian batsmen to plunder
A century from Azhar Ali and staunch support by Asad Shafiq frustrated Australia's bowlers on a rain-interrupted day two in Melbourne.
He might not be the most talked about or attractive batsman in Pakistan's line up, but Azhar Ali has proven himself to be equal to the best when it comes to scoring Test runs
Pakistan endured a day of frustration at the MCG, as light but persistent rain twice prevented them from pressing on with the game just when they seemed perfectly placed to do so
Australia's missing pace-bowling allrounder, and an apparent underuse of Nathan Lyon, have left Josh Hazlewood & Co doing a lion share of the work in the field.
The Pakistan batsman went past 1000 runs in 2016; the Australia bowler's average at the MCG is eye-catching as well
A fine delivery from Jackson Bird and a better catch by Nic Maddinson at short leg put Australia in control of Pakistan's first innings before rain arrived at the MCG.
Mickey Arthur, Pakistan's coach, said the team was 'comfortable' with their selection of Sohail Khan
Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan have earned the right to decide when to leave the game, according to Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur.
Earlier in the year Jackson Bird, pace bowler, was dropped for his batting. He faces competition from faster, younger men. But, unsurprisingly, he still got the job done on Boxing Day.
A Facebook campaign had called for the Melbourne fans to yell "Niiiice, Garry" after Nathan Lyon's third ball of the Test. Fittingly, the offspinner took a wicket with it
Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah, who conceded over 200 runs at over five to the over in the Boxing Day Test, has said he had bowled the wrong length at the MCG
From the top of the world, Pakistan came crashing down.
All week they have spoken about the confidence they gained in Brisbane, in spite of their losing the Test. To be fair, in training at least, they have walked the talk
Even though much of the attention from the Gabba Test was on Australia's struggles in the face of a defiant Pakistan chase, Steven Smith was pleased that his side managed to seal the match.
The Australian spearhead looks forward to playing in his first Boxing Day Test, having missed all opportunities since his debut back in December 2011.
Boxing Day returns Australian cricket to more traditional territory after two pink-ball matches in a row, with Pakistan needing to win to stay in the series.