While batting first after losing the toss, Pakistan on Monday set a 204-run target for Australia in the first ODI, being played in Melbourne.Â
The visitors got off to a shaky start to their innings as they lost debutant opener Saim Ayub (1) in the third over with just three runs on the board.
His opening partner Abdullah Shafique tasted a similar fate as he too, was dismissed by Starc, resulting in Pakistan slipping to 24/2 in 6.4 overs.
Following the early hiccup, skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam forged a fighting partnership.
The duo appeared to have settled down, having added 39 runs for the third wicket but Australian captain Pat Cummins’ decision to introduce spin bore fruit as Adam Zampa got rid of star batter Babar Azam in the 18th over.
Babar scored a cautious 37 off 44 deliveries with the help of four boundaries.
His dismissal prompted a middle-order collapse as Pakistan lost three more wickets in quick succession, including that of their captain Rizwan, and thus slipped to 117/6 in 31.4 overs.
Rizwan remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 71-ball 44, which featured two fours and a six.
Debutant middle-order batter Muhammad Irfan Khan then put together a crucial partnership with Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The pair added 31 runs at a brisk pace amid their partnership, which lasted with Shaheen’s dismissal off Starc in the 37th over. Irfan was then involved in another crucial partnership when he, alongside Naseem Shah, added 27 runs for the eighth wicket.
