Pakistan beat Australia in ODI series opener

RAWALPINDI: Arafat Minhas’s five-wicket haul on debut, followed by half-centuries from Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori, led Pakistan to a resounding five-wicket victory over Australia in the first ODI of the three-match home series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Set to chase a modest 201-run target, the hosts comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of five wickets and 45 balls to spare, courtesy of a century-plus third-wicket partnership between Babar and Ghori.

The Green Shirts got off to a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost left-handed opener Maaz Sadaqat (eight) in the sixth over with just 25 runs on the board.

His dismissal paved the way for Babar to come out and share a cautious 24-run partnership for the second wicket with right-handed opener Sahibzada Farhan, who was dismissed by Tanveer Sangha in the 13th over after scoring 28 off 33 deliveries with the help of three fours.

Babar was then joined by emerging wicketkeeper batter Ghazi in the middle, and the duo dominated Australia’s bowling attack to put Pakistan within touching distance by scoring anchoring half-centuries.

The pair raised 127 runs for the third wicket until Nathan Ellis bamboozled Babar with a slower delivery in the 39th over.

Babar walked back after top-scoring for Pakistan with 69 off 94 deliveries, laced with four fours and a six.

Ellis struck again in his next over, dismissing another set batter, Ghori, who departed after scoring 65 off 92 deliveries with the help of eight fours.

Pakistan suffered another setback on the first delivery of the 43rd over when Marnus Labuschagne trapped Salman Ali Agha (six) lbw, but Arafat Minhas fittingly hit the winning runs on the third delivery by smashing a six over the bowler’s head and returned unbeaten after scoring 18 off 17.

Ellis was the standout bowler for Australia, taking two wickets for 45 runs in his seven overs, while Matthew Kuhnemann, Sangha and Labuschagne made one scalp apiece.Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi’s decision to field first paid dividends as the touring side could accumulate 200 before being bowled out in 44.1 overs despite half-centuries from Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw.

The visitors got off to a steady start to their innings as Short and Alex Carey (19) put together 34 runs for the first wicket until Abrar Ahmed gave Pakistan the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing the latter in the seventh over.

Short was then joined by captain Josh Inglis in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously amid their 28-run partnership for the second wicket.

Debutant Minhas broke the budding partnership in the 14th over by dismissing Inglis, who could muster 13 off 22 deliveries.

Minhas struck again in the same over, trapping Marnus Labuschagne for a duck, while cleaning up Cameron Green in his next over, to reduce Australia to 68/4.

Following the flurry of wickets, Short joined forces with Renshaw, and the duo attempted to anchor the innings by knitting a 55-run partnership for the fifth wicket, during which the opener brought up his fourth ODI half-century.

Short, however, failed to convert his half-century into a big knock as he too fell victim to Minhas in the 27th over, and walked back after scoring 55 off 76 deliveries with the help of six fours.

Renshaw then took the reins of Australia’s batting charge and shared important partnerships with Oliver Peake (seven) and Matthew Kuhnemann (24) until eventually falling victim to Abrar in the 39th over.

The middle-order batter remained the top-scorer for Australia with 61 off 63 deliveries, comprising five fours and a six.

His dismissal exposed Australia’s toothless batting tail, which was effortlessly swept away by Pakistan pacers, captain Shaheen and Haris Rauf.

Arafat Minhas spearheaded Pakistan’s bowling charge with sensational figures of 5/32 in his 10 overs, followed by Abrar with two, while Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen and Haris chipped in with one apiece.