ADELAIDE Pakistan dominated the alternate ODI against Australia on Friday, brushing the Aussies out for just 163 runs in a bare 35 overs — their smallest- ever total in an ODI against Pakistan.
Match Highlights
The men in green were on fire right from the launch, with bellwethers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi leading the charge. Rauf claimed five lattices, while Afridi followed up with three. Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah also minced in with a gate each.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, was dismissed in the 32nd over, giving Rauf his fifth gate. Cummins’ edge was caught by Pakistan’s wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who set a new particular record with his sixth catch of the match — tying the ODI record for utmost catches by a keeper in a single match, preliminarily held by Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Rizwan nearly broke the record again, but dropped a chance to dismiss Adam Zampa shortly after. still, Rizwan soon redeemed himself, taking his fifth catch of the day off Naseem Shah’s delivery, which set up Mitchell Starc’s edge.
Rauf Shines as the Star Bowler
Haris Rauf was Pakistan’s name pantomime, dismissing Glenn Maxwell in the 28th over with a sharp delivery that glanced off Maxwell’s club into the wholes. before, Rauf had transferred Aaron Hardie back to the kiosk in the 26th over after another edge off a fast delivery.
Mohammad Hasnain also made an impact, picking up his first gate after Steve Smith, Australia’s loftiest arranger with 35 runs, got an edge while trying a cut shot.
By the 29th over, Australia was reeling at 132 for 8, with Cummins and Starc still at the crinkle but slightly adding to the aggregate.
Early improvements
Australia’s top order fell snappily, starting with Jake Fraser- McGurk, who was dismissed in the third over for just 13 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi sailed him out with a delivery that hit his pads, and the arbiter’s decision stood after Australia decided not to review.
In the seventh over, Matthew Short was dismissed for 19 runs, caught by Babar Azam off Afridi’s delivery, after surviving an earlier close call.
In Summary
Australia’s fur line- up atrophied under pressure from Pakistan’s bowlers, with Haris Rauf's astral performance taking center stage. At 163 all out, Australia’s innings fell well short of prospects, marking a significant palm for Pakistan as they aim for an untouchable lead in the series
