ADELAIDE: Pakistan’s Haris Rauf led a disciplined bowling attack, restricting Australia to a modest total of 163 runs in the second ODI of the three-match series at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
After being put in to bat first after losing the toss to the visitors, the hosts’ batting lineup struggled significantly, collapsing in just 35 overs.
Australia’s new opening pair of Jake Fraser-McGurk (13) and Matthew Short (19) couldn’t provide a solid foundation, both falling to Shaheen Shah Afridi, who impressed with figures of 3/26.
Additionally, as the innings faltered, experienced batter Steve Smith partnered with wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, momentarily stabilising the innings with a 38-run partnership.
However, that partnership ended when Rauf claimed Inglis for 18 in the 14th over, further exacerbating the Kangaroos’ woes on a challenging day for the home side.
He struck again in his next over to get rid of Marnus Labuschagne, who made a scratchy six off 11 deliveries.
Mohammad Hasnain then added further to the misery of the home side by dismissing set batter Smith, reducing Australia to 101/5 in 20.5 overs.
Smith remained the top-scorer for Australia with a gutsy 35 off 48 deliveries, hitting six boundaries including a six.
Meanwhile, Haris, fuelled with momentum, took two more wickets — Aaron Hardie (13) and Glenn Maxwell (16) — in successive overs before rounding up his second ODI five-wicket haul by dismissing Australian captain Pat Cummins (13).
Later, Adam Zampa added valuable runs to Australia’s total at the backend with a brief 18-run cameo before being cleaned up by Shaheen in the 35th over.
The right-arm pacer returned magnificent bowling figures of 5/29 in eight overs, followed by Shaheen and Naseem Shah with three and two respectively, while Hasnain picked one.
It is important to note that Australia lead the three-match series 1-0, courtesy of their hard-fought two-wicket victory in the opening fixture on Monday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
For Friday’s match, Australia’s Josh Hazlewood returned to the field while Pakistan’s team remained unchanged.
Pakistan’s new leadership failed to turn the fortunes of the former champions as the Mohammad Rizwan-led side succumbed to a gut-wrenching two-wicket defeat in the first ODI against Australia.
The visitors fought valiantly but a gutsy knock under pressure by skipper Pat Cummins steered the six-time champions to a hard-fought victory.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.
Australia: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
