AUS vs PAK: Marnus Labuschagne to undergo scans on injured finger

In a gripping battle at the Perth Test, Pakistan’s pace attack made a late impact on day three, causing concerns for Australia. Marnus Labuschagne took a nasty blow to his little finger as a Khurram Shahzad delivery sharply rose towards him off a length. He went for scans on Saturday evening.

The right-handed batter persisted in batting after extensive examination by the team’s medical staff, but the severity of the blow will raise doubts about his availability. His absence in the upcoming Boxing Day Test at the MCG could pave the way for allrounder Cameron Green’s return, potentially altering Australia’s batting lineup. Labuschagne, a consistent presence with 39 consecutive Test appearances since the 2019 Ashes, would be a notable absence if ruled out.

“He was with the doc and physio for the last hour just chatting through it and doing a few tests on the finger…dare say he might be pretty sore,” Australia quick Josh Hazlewood told reporters as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Australian batters endured serious blow from Pakistan pacers

Australia‘s resilience was tested on the challenging Optus Stadium surface that gained more bite as the day progressed. Star batter Steve Smith endured a series of blows on his arm from Shaheen Shah Afridi’s short-pitched deliveries, requiring medical attention after one delivery thudded into his forearm. Despite the challenges, Smith and opener Usman Khawaja held firm to guide Australia to 84 for 2 by stumps with a commanding lead of 300 runs.