AUS vs PAK | Twitter reacts as Starc's dream isnwinger becomes Shafique's nightmare to bag batter disastrous pair

Pakistan battled the odds on Day 3 of the New Year's Test at Sydney Cricket Ground to sneak a 14-run first-innings lead courtesy of Aamer Jamal's six-wicket masterclass. Tangibly ahead for the first time on the tour and with a real chance at earning a first Test victory Down Under in 28 years, the Men in Green did not take long to encounter the reason behind their long drought as brilliant Australia struck in hallmark fashion to claw back the advantage. 

Mitchell Starc as usual took the new ball in hand to kickstart the second half of the Test and worked Abdullah Shafique through the first five deliveries without conceding a run. The sequence culminated in a delivery angling considerably wide of the batter from over the wicket to cap off the over, only for the Kookaburra to move sharply in the air and land at length on off-stump before nipping back ludicrously to pierce the bat-pad gap and send the bails cartwheeling. Starc immediately raised his arm in the air for his trademark celebration while Shafique stared at the pitch in disbelief, unable to digest the fact that the red cherry could dance to the whims of the left-arm quick in such an audacious manner. The southpaw had also fallen prey to Starc in the first innings, thus bagging the first pair in his Test career.

In the background, the sea of pink in the stands rose as one ecstasy, reflecting the chaotic hype of enthusiastic praise directed towards the veteran pacer on Twitterati. 

Watching this on loop!

No words!

Exceptional

Absolute peach

Too good!

Unplayable!

He is an artist

Shafique departs

Litreally unplayable

Just wow