Australia vs Pakistan 2016: 2nd Test, Day 3 - 5 talking points
Australia responded in the typical aggressive fashion after Pakistan declared their innings at 443/9, courtesy a fine double hundred from Azhar Ali, the first of its kind by a Pakistani batsman in Australia.
He had the slogger, Sohail Khan for company as the duo plundered at a rate above 8 runs per over at a time to speed up the declaration.
Warner started in his usual manner and raced to his half-century at a run a ball. While he lost his young opening partner, Matt Renshaw, to a moment of recklessness against the wily Yasir Shah, Khawaja joined him in attacking.
The duo put on a 198 run stand in 35 overs, giving Pakistan no space to hide as balls flew to all parts of the boundary. Sohail Khan and Mohammad Amir bowled good probing spells but were unlucky that the edges flew wide away from the fielders.
Here are the talking points from Day 3 at MCG.
#5 Azhar Ali's stunning double hundred
If Pakistan batsmen need some inspiration to not give away their wickets cheaply, they need not look much farther than their opening batsman and ODI skipper, Azhar Ali. The opener has been in silken touch in 2016 and notched up his 3rd hundred of the year yesterday and was unbeaten on 139.
On Day 3, with some able assistance from the tail-enders, Azhar swiftly moved past 150 and pressed on the accelerator to speed up the declaration. He lost Sohail Khan when he was on 198, a nervy moment when he could also have been run out.
But he is not new to landmarks having compiled a triple hundred against West Indies earlier in the year. He moved past a breathtaking double hundred, the first by a Pakistani batsman in Australia, and remained unbeaten as Pakistan declared at 443/9.