AUS vs PAK 2nd Test: Play Delayed at MCG as 3rd Umpire Gets Stuck in the Lift - WATCH

The second Test between Australia and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has turned interesting after the visitors bounced back in the second innings and stunned Pat Cummins & Co. with some quick wickets at the stroke of lunch. But a bizarre turn of events delayed the start of the second session with the Australians questioning the possible reason.

Meanwhile, on-field umpires Michael Gough and Joel Wilson discussing among themselves. A few minutes later, it was conveyed to the players that the start of the play was delayed as third umpire Richard Illingworth got stuck in the lift and couldn’t make it to his set-up on time.

Cricket.co.au took to microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), stating the reason.

“The game is delayed because the third umpire … is stuck in the lift #AUSvPAK,” the post read.

The commentators were in splits when they disucssed the incident on air. As the camera focused on Illingworth making it to his seat, the TV umpire was seen laughing as well.

Pakistan continued the momentum post-lunch as fast bowler Mir Hamza bagged the prized wickets of David Warner and Travis Head on consecutive deliveries. It was the fifth over of Australia’s second essay which Hamza began with a shorter delivery outside off. Warner was looking for the pull but dragged a thick inside edge back onto the middle stump. The next delivery saw a fuller delivery from Hamza cleaning up Head for a golden duck.

Earlier, Captain Pat Cummins took his 10th five-wicket total in test matches to help Australia earn a 54-run first-innings lead over Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the third day of the second test Thursday.

But Pakistan came back from the innings break to take the wickets of Usman Khawaja for a duck and Marnus Labuschagne for five, leaving Australia two wickets down for only six runs and an overall lead of 60 at lunch.

Both Pakistan wickets were caught by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi.

(With Agency Inputs)