ISLAMABAD: Pakistan beat Australia by eight wickets at Perth on Sunday, registering their first away ODI series victory over the 2023 world champions in 22 years.
Pakistan’s pace battery rattled Australia’s batting order after skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and sent the hosts to bat, dismissing Australia for a paltry 140 runs in the third and final ODI of the series in Perth.
Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, left, bats in front of Australia’s Josh Inglis during their one day international cricket match in Perth on November 10, 2024. (AP)
Pakistani pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi returned figures of 3/54 and 3/32 respectively while express fast bowler Haris Rauf chipped in with an impressive 2/24 to dismiss Australia for 140 in 31.5 overs. Muhammad Hasnain picked up 1/24 as Pakistani bowlers confused the Australian batters on a bouncy Perth wicket with their pace and accurate length.
Pakistan's Naseem Shah (L) and Haris Rauf talks between overs while playing Australia during their one day international cricket in Perth on November 10, 2024. (AP)
Pakistani openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique provided a stable start to the innings, with Ayub scoring 42 runs and Shafique 37.
Rizwan and former Pakistan captain Babar Azam scored 30 and 28 runs, respectively, to guide their team home.
Australia's Aaron Hardie bats against Pakistan during their one day international cricket in Perth on November 10, 2024. (AP)
“This is what a captain demands from his team,” Rizwan said at the post-match conference. “I will give all the credit to our bowlers because you know, Australia in Australia is not an easy team to beat.”
Rizwan praised Shafique and Ayub for giving Pakistan strong starts in the second and third ODIs, saying their contributions made it easy for the green shirts to chase the total.
Pakistan lost the three-match series opener on Nov. 4 against Australia in a close contest before coming back strongly on Friday to demolish the hosts in Adelaide by nine wickets.
Pakistan's players huddle together before taking the field against Australia during their one day international cricket match in Perth on November 10, 2024. (AP)
Australia rested veteran cricketers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith for the third ODI ahead of Australia’s Test series against India beginning later this month.
Pakistan last won an away ODI series in Australia in 2002. Their win against the Australian cricket team on Friday made it the first time since 2017 that the green shirts had beaten the opposition in an ODI in their backyard.
PLAYING XI:
Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Aaron Hardie, 4 Josh Inglis (capt, wk), 5 Cooper Connolly, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Spencer Johnson, 11 Lance Morris
Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Hasnain
