Australia cruised to victory over Pakistan in the first ODI of the three-match series.
The Pakistan cricket team is currently on tour in Australia, where they will compete in three ODIs and T20I matches.
Match Details
The first match of the three ODIs was played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on 4th November. Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Pakistan Innings
Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub opened the innings for Pakistan, but Mitchell Starc, the star bowler for Australia, quickly disrupted their plans.
Starc bowled Saim in the third over, and returning in his next over, he dismissed Abdullah, setting Pakistan on the back foot by taking both openers’ wickets early.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan tried to stabilize the innings, building a partnership and adding some runs to the scoreboard. However, Adam Zampa broke their rhythm by bowling out Babar, and the Pakistani batting lineup continued to struggle. Wickets fell at regular intervals, and none of the batsmen could anchor the innings or play a substantial knock.
Pakistan was eventually bowled out for a total of 203 runs. Mitchell Starc led the bowling attack with three wickets, while Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa chipped in with two wickets each.
Australia Innings
Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk opened the innings for Australia. Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early, dismissing Matthew, and soon after, Naseem Shah took the wicket of Jake Smith. Josh Inglis then came in to steady the innings, playing a crucial knock and helping Australia inch closer to the target.
Despite some resistance from the Pakistani bowlers, who made it difficult for the Australians to chase the total smoothly, the hosts managed to keep up their momentum. The Australian batsmen played crucial short innings, steadily pushing the score forward.
Ultimately, Australia reached the target in just 33.3 overs with two wickets to spare. With this win, they have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Haris Rauf’s sensational spell nearly derailed the Australia chase before Pat Cummins’ rescue act in a thrilling encounter 😯#AUSvPAKhttps://t.co/DexGHuuPNf
— ICC (@ICC) November 4, 2024