ADELAIDE (Dunya News/AFP) - Clinical Pakistan levelled series after trouncing Australia in the second One-Day International by nine wickets at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Pakistan have won an ODI in Australia after eight years. They last won the limited overs match in Australia in 2017. It was Pakistan's victory at Adelaide Oval after 28 years having last won a match in 1996.
Openers Saim Ayub slammed a swashbuckling 82 and Abdullah Shafique an unbeaten 64 lo lead Pakistan to level their ODI series 1-1. The series decider will be played on Sunday at Perth Stadium after Australia won a tense first match in Melbourne by two wickets.
Pakistan reached 169-1 with a huge 141 balls to spare.
Ayub and Shafique started the chase slowly, pinned down by Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, with just 47 coming from the first 10 overs.
But they began swinging the bat after that with Ayub smacking a big six from Cummins then crunching another off Mitchell Starc.
The 22-year-old was dropped by Adam Zampa on 47 and capitalised by bringing up his maiden ODI half-century in only his second match, with Shafique joining the fun with some giant sixes of his own.
Ayub finally succumbed to the spin of Zampa going for another big hit, caught by Hazlewood, ending a 71-ball stay that included five fours and six sixes.
Babar Azam (15 not out) joined Shafique to see Pakistan home, ending the match with the 10th six of their innings.
"The most important thing is the team won," said Ayub.
"We planned to be positive and not to think about the result but the most important thing is how we play as a team.
"Credit goes to Haris Rauf, but the other bowlers also supported him well."
HARIS THE WRECKER
Rauf's pace caused big problems after Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and sent Australia in, with Steve Smith's 35 the top score as they were dismissed in the 35th over.
Wicketkeeper Rizwan took six catches.
"It wasn't one of our best days," said Australia skipper Cummins.
"You hope you get more than 160. They bowled well but we wanted to get a bigger score.
"We got some catchers in, tried to attack, but it wasn't to be," he added of their bowling.
In the absence of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, who are on paternity leave, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short again opened, keen to make their mark after falling cheaply in the opening match.
The aggressive Fraser-McGurk slammed three boundaries from Naseem Shah's first over, but was then out lbw for 13 to Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Short had a huge left-off on eight, with Afridi dropping a sitter by the ropes.
But the veteran paceman made amends, tempting Short into a cover drive shortly after on 19 that Azam did well to hold.
Josh Inglis hit a breezy 18 before he gloved to Rizwan off Rauf, with the same pair accounting for Marnus Labuschagne (6) to leave Australia on 87-4.
At the other end, Smith ground to 35 before finally falling to an edge from Mohammad Hasnain, and when Rauf and Rizwan again combined to remove Aaron Hardie the hosts were 121-6.
Rauf struck again to bowl dangerman Glenn Maxwell for 16 and collected only his second ODI five-wicket haul by once more teaming up with Rizwan to remove Cummins (13).
Pakistan kept the playing eleven unchanged while Australia made one change bringing in Josh Hazlewood.
Pakistan captain Rizwan said after the toss they were fielding the same squad that played the first ODI. "We fought very well in MCG but unfortunately lost. There might be moisture in the pitch and we would try to take advantage of that."
Australian captain Cummins said he would have done the same had he won the toss.
He said Sean Abbott was dropped out and Hazlewood brought back as the pitch here has lots of grass on it and bounce. "It's always great to play here."
Squads
Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt/wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Hasnain
Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood