By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam did well in their respective departments while Shadab Khan and Abdul Samad stitched a crucial partnership as Pakistan defeated Australia by four wickets in a nerve-wracking third ODI to win the series 2-1 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Shaheen (3-30) struck at crucial moments to enable Pakistan bowl Australia out for 157 in 42 overs with skipper Josh Inglis striking a fine 65.
In reply, Babar Azam (40) played a cool knock, followed by a useful unbroken partnership of 49 runs for the seventh wicket between Shadab Khan and Abdul Samad as Pakistan raced to the target in the 42nd over after losing six wickets in the process.
Set to score 158 Pakistan had a shaky start. Nathan Ellis clean bowled Sahibzada Farhan (6) with a delivery that nipped in. This is the third time in this series that Farhan failed to play a major knock, having scored only 37 runs in three matches.
Maaz Sadaqat played a few fine strokes before he was trapped leg before off off-spinner Matthew Short. Sadaqat hit five fours in his 26-bal 27 and Pakistan were 41-2 in the eighth over when Sadaqat fell.
Stumper Ghazi Ghori then joined Babar Azam but he failed this time, losing his wicket after scoring just eight runs. He was bowled by left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann while attempting an unnecessary sweep.
However, at this stage Babar Azam and Agha Salman batted cleverly and added 33 crucial runs for the fourth wicket partnership to keep their side in the hunt.
Kuhnemann broke the stand when he picked up the wicket of Agha who edged a delivery, that spun away from the right-hander, to keeper Josh Inglis who took a good catch.
Agha struck one four in his 24-ball 15 and the hosts were 93-4 in the 24th over. Kuhnemann continued to dent Pakistan when he got the prized scalp of Babar Azam to make the things balance. It was a delivery that the pitched on the leg-stump, spun away, Babar went on his back foot but failed to connect as the ball crashed the off-stump.
Babar struck three fours from his 40 which came off 84 balls and Pakistan were 112-5 in the30th over.
In the next over Matt Renshaw removed Arafat Minhas (9) after the left-hander edged a delivery that pitched on off-stump and spun away with Matthew Short taking a good catch at the first slip position.
Minhas hit one four from 25 balls. However, Abdul Samad and Shadab Khan batted with great responsibility and added a crucial unbeaten stand to make Pakistan home.
Shadab hit 42-ball 29 not out with two fours while Samad struck one four in his 30-ball 18 not out.
Kuhnemann produced his best figures of 3-38 in ten overs. Nathan Ellis, Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw got one wicket each.
Skipper Josh Inglis (65) was the key in Australia’s innings. At one stage Australia were 98-2 and they lost their right wickets inside 59 runs which handed Pakistan a great opportunity to seal the series.
After opting to bat first Australia had a poor start. Shaheen Afridi once again struck early when he got rid of Matt Short (0) off the second ball of the innings. Marnus Labuchagne joined skipper Josh Inglis who had promoted himself in place of Alex Carey in the batting order to open the innings with Short.
The due batted carefully in a bid to build the base. They added 46 runs for the second wicket before Labuchagne got run out for 19. He hit two fours in his 39-ball knock.
Alex Carey then went out and he gave ample support to Inglis to stabilize the innings by sharing 52 crucial runs for the third wicket association. However it was paceman Haris Rauf who bowled Carey to leave Australia at 98-3 in the 23rd over.
Carey hit one four in his 32-ball 19. Even at this stage Australia were placed comfortably. But the tide tilted in favour of Pakistan when skipper Shaheen Afridi removed well-set Inglis (65) and Cameron Green (7) in a single over to dent Australia’s decent total chances.
Inglis, who had relocated to Australia as a 14-year old child, was held by Sahibzada Farhan inside the circle while Babar Azam caught Green at short mid-wicket and now Australia were reeling at 120-5 in the 27th over.
Inglis completed his sixth ODI fifty and second successive of the series off 56 balls. He managed one six and eight fours in his responsible 71-ball 65.
Australia kept losing wickets. Abrar Ahmad removed Matt Renshaw (4) and Cooper Connolly (3) in quick succession to leave the visitors gasping at 131-7 in the 32nd over.
Shadab Khan then had Oliver Peake (7), held by keeper Ghazi Ghori, to add to Australia’s misery. Peake hit one four during his 13-ball stay at the crease. This was also Shadab’s first wicket in the series.
Shadab then bowled Zampa (10) before Nathan Ellis (1) got run out as the visitors were skittled out for 157 in 42nd over.
This is also the lowest total from Australia against Pakistan on Pakistan’s soil.
Their previous lowest were 170-9 which they had accumulated in 1982 at Niaz Stadium Hyderabad.
Shaheen Afridi bowled extremely well. He used the conditions well as after a thunderstorm wind was blowing across the ground. He finished 3-30 in eight overs. Abrar Ahmed (2-19 in 10) and Shadab Khan (2-28 in 9) also ably backed their skipper.
Pakistan’s Maaz Sadaqat received head injury while fielding on the boundary and he was taken off the field in the 11th over.
Pakistan had defeated Australia by five wickets in the opener at Rawalpindi. Australia then downed Pakistan by 41 runs in the second game at the same venue the other day.
This is the third straight series win from Pakistan against Australia in the last five years.
Australia had last sealed the series against Pakistan in 1998-1988 when they managed a 3-0 clen sweep.
Pakistan went into the game unchanged while Australia brought in Cooper Connolly in place of Tanveer Singh Sangha.
Ahsan Raza and Kumar Dharmasena supervised the match, Richard Kettleborough was the TV umpire, Nasir Hussain served as a reserve umpire and Graeme Labrooy of Sri Lanka acted as match referee.
