Rain forces early tea after Hasan Ali gets Khawaja

Warner and Khawaja started off with a partnership of 90 runs, but then Agha Salman managed to get a crucial wicket for Pakistan. This was a necessary breakthrough for Pakistan.

Hasan Ali succeeded in overcoming Usman Khawaja's determination.

During the Tea break, Australia had scored 114 runs, with Khawaja contributing 42 runs and Hasan taking one wicket for Pakistan.

The bowler Hasan Ali was able to dismiss the Australian player Usman Khawaja and make the Pakistan team's bowling performance better at a dark Melbourne Cricket Ground on the first day of the Boxing Day Test. However, the game was interrupted by rain.

Despite the gloomy weather and the prediction of thunderstorms and rain in the coming hours, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith did their best to stay alive during the second session. They were faced with skillful Pakistan bowling on a tricky surface that gave the ball some movement.

Labuschagne had been having difficulties with his form lately and had a tough time making 14 runs from 47 deliveries, while Smith only managed to score 2 runs from 26 balls before the tea break was suspended due to what appears to be a lengthy delay.

Labuschagne was visibly unhappy with the game continuing while the light towers were turned on and a dark cloud loomed over the field.

Finally, the rain started pouring down and the game had to be halted after Australia managed to score only 24 runs in 15 overs before the break for drinks.

Following an unsuccessful attempt by Pakistan's quick bowlers to take a wicket during the initial session, Hasan validated his inclusion in the team by executing a skilled performance following the lunch break. Consequently, he obtained a reward in the form of having Khawaja caught by the second slip with a delivery that moved unpredictably off the playing surface.

Pakistan made three changes to their team and decided to go with an all-pace attack, selecting left-arm bowler Mir Hamza as well. Hasan was among the three changes.

Hasan discovered the perfect length on the side of the pitch opposite to the batsman's stance and worked in harmony with Shaheen Shah Afridi who intimidated opponents by delivering the ball at an angle towards the right-handed players, causing the ball to unpredictably bounce off the wicket at times.

Afridi showed improvement in his performance compared to the slow start he had before lunch in the previous match where he only managed to take 2 wickets for 172 runs. However, his lack of speed has been a consistent issue for Afridi.

Pakistan should be feeling more confident after their impressive comeback in the match. At the start of the game, their captain Shan Masood decided to bowl on a pitch with a lot of grass, making it harder for them to take wickets in the first session, especially with the overcast weather conditions. However, they managed to overcome this challenge and did not lose any wickets.

Following a crushing defeat in the initial Test, where they scored a measly 360 runs on a challenging Optus Stadium pitch, Pakistan was counting on making some early breakthroughs to make a comeback. However, things took a terrible turn when their opening batsman, David Warner, was given the chance for an extended innings after Abdullah Shafique dropped a straightforward catch at first slip, adding to their already tumultuous start.

Hamza gave a sparking performance in the new ball spell which was encouraging but despite that, Pakistan's morale went down. Hamza was not bowling fast but amazed everyone by skillfully swinging the ball in both directions and giving several threatening late in-swinging yorkers. Prior to this, he had only managed to take two wickets in three Test matches.

However, the bowlers of Pakistan were unable to frequently strike the correct spots while Khawaja and Warner developed a partnership worth 90 runs.

Similar to the anticipation in Perth, Khawaja was under close scrutiny heading into the game following the ICC's rejection of his request to exhibit a logo that aimed to draw attention to humanitarian concerns.

He maintained his composure despite the pressure mounted by Australia, as they were on the verge of completing yet another opening session without taking a wicket in the second consecutive Test match. However, just before lunch, Warner was dismissed by the spin-bowling allrounder, Agha Salman.

During his second to last game as a professional Test player, Warner made a hasty move and played a risky shot which led to him being caught at slip while he was on 38 points. As soon as the break was over, Pakistan took advantage of their momentum and kept the game going strong.

Everyone has been paying attention to the unpredictable weather in Melbourne lately. The city has been hit with heavy rain in the last few days, making many people unsure of what to expect. Although there was some sun during the first session, there is a strong possibility that the bad weather will cause problems for the highly-anticipated Australian cricket event.

It's been estimated that a whopping 70,000 fans will be in attendance, which is more than the total number of people who attended the Perth Test over the course of four days since it was rebranded.

Tristan Lavalette works as a reporter in the city of Perth.