MELBOURNE – Australia beat Pakistan by two wickets in first of the three-match ODI series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in a tense chase on Monday.
In pursuit of 204 runs, Pat Cummins-led Australia reached the target in 33.3 overs with the skipper playing a crucial innings of unbeaten 32 off 31 balls hitting four fours.
Pakistan’s pace quartet of Haris Rauf (3-67), Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-43), Naseem Shah (1-39) and Mohammad Hasnain (1-51) shared seven wickets among them but couldn’t keep the defeat at bay.
At the beginning of the chase, Australia lost their opening batters, Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk to Shaheen and Naseem, respectively with the scorecard reading 28-2.
At this point, Steve Smith (44) and Josh Inglis (49) came together to stitch an 85-run third-wicket partnership solidifying Australia’s position.
Haris inspired Pakistan to comeback in the game by removing Smith in the 17th over as Australia went onto lose five wickets in a span of 8.5 overs as Australia were reduced to 155-7. Shaheen dismissed Inglis in the 20th over while Haris returned to eke out Marnus Labuschagne (16) and Glenn Maxwell on consecutive balls in the 21st over.
After Hardie was castled in the 26th over by Hasnain, Sean Abbot and Cummins put on 30 runs for eighth wicket taking just 27 balls. Abbot was run-out in the 30th over with Australia 185-8, requiring 19 more runs which Cummins and Starc achieved in 23 balls taking Australia home safely.
Earlier, after being put into bat Pakistan were dismissed for 203 in 46.4 overs. Captain Mohammad Rizwan, who was leading the team for the first time in ODIs, top-scored for the side with a 71-ball 44, hitting two fours and a six. He also added 39 runs for the third wicket with Babar Azam (37).
After the departure of Rizwan at 117 for six in 31.4 overs, the last four wickets added 86 runs on the board with Naseem Shah scoring a 39-ball 40, which included a boundary and four sixes. Shaheen Shah Afridi scored 24 off 19, hitting three fours and a six, while debutant Muhammad Irfan Khan scored 22 off 35, smashing two fours.
For Australia, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc was the most successful bowler, grabbing three wickets for 33 runs in 10 overs, which also included debutant Saim Ayub (1,5b) wicket as well.
Both sides will now feature in the second ODI at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on November 8.
Rizwan Praises Bowlers
Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan praised the bowlers for their thrilling performance in the match, saying: “We have learnt a lot from defeat”.
He heaped praises on Haris Rauf, who came in action long time, for displaying magic spell and claiming three-wicket haul.
“Whole Pakistan supported us in the match,” the skipper said.
Pakistan XI
Abdullah Shafiq, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan (captain and wicket-keeper), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Muhammad Hasnain.
Australia XI
Matt Short, Jake Fraser McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wicket-keeper), Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbot, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa.