Pakistan beat Australia by four wickets to clinch ODI series 2-1

LAHORE: Pakistan secured the three-match one-day international series against Australia with a four-wicket win in the decider at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, recovering from a middle-order wobble to chase down 158 and take the series 2-1.

The home side’s pursuit was not straightforward. Pakistan lost opener Sahibzada Farhan in the third over before Maaz Sadaqat and Babar Azam rebuilt the innings and took the score to 41. Sadaqat made 27 before he was dismissed leg-before by Matthew Short, while wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori was out for eight.

Babar and Salman Ali Agha then added further runs to move Pakistan to 93, but another cluster of wickets tightened the contest. Agha departed for 15, and after Babar — the top-scorer in the chase with 40 — had added runs with Arafat Minhas, Matthew Kuhnemann bowled him to leave Pakistan under pressure. Minhas also fell soon after, with Pakistan reduced to 112-6 and still needing 46 more.

Shadab Khan and Abdul Samad then guided the hosts home with an unbroken stand that settled the match. Shadab made 29, while Samad remained unbeaten on 18 as Pakistan reached the target with 43 balls left. The result gave Pakistan the series after it had won the opening ODI in Rawalpindi by five wickets, before Australia levelled matters with a 41-run victory in Lahore.

Pakistan bowl out Australia for 157

Earlier, Australia were dismissed for 157 after choosing to bat on a slow surface in Lahore. Shaheen Shah Afridi set the tone immediately by removing Matthew Short with the second ball of the innings. Pakistan’s bowling effort was led by Shaheen’s 3-30, while Abrar Ahmed and Shadab took two wickets each.

Josh Inglis offered Australia resistance with 65 from 71 deliveries, an innings that included eight fours and a six. He put together stands of 46 and 52 with Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey respectively, with both batters contributing 19 runs.

Australia, however, lost momentum badly in the later stages of the innings. Their final seven wickets fell for 38 runs as Pakistan tightened control, while two run-outs further hurt the visitors’ total.

The series win marked Pakistan’s third consecutive ODI series victory over Australia, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s match updates shared during and after the contest.