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

Pakistan overcame Australian spin on a tricky wicket to win the third and final one-day international by four wickets and clinch the series 2-1 on Thursday.

Pakistan had to fight hard on a turning wicket to reach 161-6 in 41.5 overs after Australia had crashed to its lowest ODI total in Pakistan and got bowled out for 157 in 42 overs.

All-rounder Shadab Khan, who had earlier picked up 2-28, made unbeaten 29 while Abdul Samad was 18 not out to earn Pakistan its third successive ODI win in a bilateral series against Australia.

Australia had won the second game by 41 runs at the same venue to level the series while Pakistan won the first match at Rawalpindi last week by five wickets on pitches tailor-made for spinners. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann (3-38) had pushed Australia’s bid when he clean bowled top-scorer Babar Azam for 40 in the 30th over and Pakistan slumped to 112-6.

But Shadab and Samad both showed plenty of patience on an abrasive pitch before Shadab smashed Adam Zampa to long-on boundary for winning runs. Earlier, Australia’s middle-order crumbled against Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-30) and leg-spin of Abrar Ahmed (2-19) despite skipper Josh Inglis scoring 65 off 71 balls after he had won the toss and opted to bat first.

Inglis’ second successive half-century seemed to keep Australia on track for a challenging total but none of the other batters could score more than 19 as the visitors lost their last seven wickets for 38 runs.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf ignited the collapse when he hit the top of Alex Carey’s (19) middle stump in the 23rd over and then Afridi struck twice in one over with the old ball when he dismissed Inglis and Cameron Green in the 27th over.

Cooper Connolly, who replaced Tanveer Sangha for the series decider, lasted only 12 balls and scored 3 before he was bowled round his legs while going for a ramp shot against Abrar as Australia’s middle-order couldn’t come to terms with the slow wicket.

Shadab finally got among the wickets after being wicketless in his last five ODIs when he removed Oliver Peake and Zampa as Australia tail folded quickly when last man Nathan Ellis was run-out.