Pakistan 169 for 1 (Ayub 82, Shafique 64*, Zampa 1-44) beat Australia 163 (Smith 35, Rauf 5-29, Afridi 3-26) by nine wickets
Haris Rauf once again destroyed Australia's middle order, claiming his second consecutive five-wicket haul in as many games, and this time his efforts were rewarded as Saim Ayub produced a stunning knock to lead Pakistan to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory at the Adelaide Oval. Pakistan wrapped up the win with a massive 23.3 overs to spare, leveling the series in style.
It was a complete rout of the ODI World Champions. After his fiery spell in Melbourne, Rauf tore through Australia's batting once again—his delivery to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne was particularly exceptional—finishing with figures of 5 for 96, marking the second five-wicket haul of his ODI career. While Australia’s innings crumbled, Ayub and Abdullah Shafique took the chase in stride. After a slow start, Ayub erupted into a flurry of powerful strokes, including a pick-up flick off Mitchell Starc that sailed into the stands.
Ayub had just 7 from 27 balls when he stroked a square drive off Josh Hazlewood, and from there, he was unstoppable. He hammered Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc into the crowd before slog sweeping Adam Zampa for another six. Zampa even dropped him on 47 at deep point, but Ayub's fifty came off 52 balls, and a maiden century seemed within reach before he sliced a delivery to short third, bringing an end to a rollicking opening stand of 137.
With 141 balls still remaining in the chase, Pakistan sealed Australia's second-largest defeat margin in ODIs on home soil. The win was completed when Babar Azam pulled Zampa for six, setting up a series decider in Perth on Sunday. Australia will be without their Test players, who are preparing for the upcoming series against India, and will be captained by Josh Inglis for the first time.
In Australia's innings, Steven Smith's 35 was the top score in a disappointing batting performance. On a pitch with a good covering of grass, they collapsed from 79 for 2 to be bowled out for 163. Rauf’s pace, which had unsettled several of Australia’s top-order batters, continued to wreak havoc, taking 8 wickets across the two innings, including 4 that came from catches by Pakistan's wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan equaled the ODI record for most dismissals by a keeper in a match (6), although a late dropped catch prevented him from setting a new record.
With the modest target in sight, Pakistan’s openers, Ayub and Shafique, played sensibly against the new ball, which continued to offer some movement. Shafique was helped by an errant ball from Starc that went for five wides and four overthrows when Jake Fraser-McGurk missed a run-out chance. Ayub, meanwhile, continued his onslaught, and Shafique later joined in with a swept six off Zampa and a glorious pull shot against Hazlewood on his way to a rapid 50 off 57 balls.
Australia’s response with the bat was unconvincing. Their new opening pair of Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short failed to deliver. Fraser-McGurk started promisingly, cracking three boundaries in the second over, including a beautiful back-foot cover drive, but was dismissed lbw by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Short was fortunate not to be dismissed on 8 when Shaheen spilled a relatively straightforward catch at deep square leg. However, Pakistan's bowlers were relentless, with Shaheen making amends when Short edged a wide delivery to Babar at cover.
As Australia’s early tempo faltered, Smith looked good at times, including a pulled six off Mohammad Hasnain, but he was fortunate to survive on 14 when a cut shot against Rauf was spilled by Ayub at point. Rauf wasn't to be denied, though. His first wicket was a fortunate one, with Josh Inglis gloving a pull shot down the leg side. But Rauf then delivered a masterclass, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne with a beautiful delivery that straightened from outside off stump, forcing an edge to Rizwan.
Aaron Hardie fell in similar fashion, playing forward to a fuller ball, and the last of Australia's frontline batters departed when Glenn Maxwell, after hitting one reverse sweep for six off Ayub, dragged on an attempted pull shot.
Between Rauf's wickets, Hasnain claimed the key scalp of Smith, who had been dismissed the ball before he actually departed. Smith, who had shuffled across his crease, was saved by the DRS, which showed the ball to be umpire's call on hitting the leg stump. The very next delivery, Smith got a top edge trying to slash at a short, wide ball. Naseem Shah then claimed his first wicket, finding Starc’s outside edge, before Rauf wrapped up the innings by dismissing Cummins with a top edge.
Pakistan's clinical all-round performance ensured a dominant victory and set up a thrilling series decider in Perth.
Post a Comment