Australia beat Pakistan to take ODI series lead

SKIPPER Pat Cummins kept his cool under pressure with a gritty unbeaten 32 to steer Australia to a nervy two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first of three ODIs on Monday (4).

Chasing 204, the hosts reached the target with 99 balls to spare at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, surviving a huge scare when they lost three wickets in five balls.

“Wonderful match but it got a little tighter than I would have liked it there,” said Cummins.

With Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head on paternity leave, the world champions had a new-look opening partnership in Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short.

But Short lasted just four balls before top-edging to Saim Ayub off Shaheen Shah Afridi, while FraserMcGurk’s luck ran out on 16, when he slapped Naseem Shah to Irfan Khan at mid-on.

The experienced Steve Smith steadied the ship alongside Josh Inglis. They put on 85 for the third wicket before Smith was undone by Haris Rauf on 44, well caught by Ayub at backward point.

Inglis followed for 49 soon after going for a big hit off Afridi, taken by Khan on his knees.

And when Rauf removed Marnus Labuschagne (16) three balls later, and then Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck, Australia were suddenly 139-6 and it was game on.

Mohammad Hasnain bowled Aaron Hardie (10) and Sean Abbott (13) was guilty of a lazy run out, leaving the hosts needing 19 runs and two wickets left, but Cummins and Mitchell Starc (2) saw them home without any further trouble.

“Really happy with how the guys bowled, everyone played their roles beautifully,” Cummins added.

“Obviously we need to try and find some partnerships (in the batting).”

Earlier, Starc, who was named player of the match, took 3-33 as Pakistan were dismissed for 203.

Newly appointed skipper Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 44, but the visitors struggled against some precision bowling, and were all out in the 47th over after Australia won the toss and sent them in.

“We need to play teams like that,” said Rizwan. “We decided whatever the situation, we will fight and show courage. The luck was with Australia and that’s why they won.”

In Pakistan’s first 50-over game since last year’s World Cup, Starc broke through in the third over with Ayub chopping onto his stumps.

That brought Babar Azam to the crease, unburdened by the captaincy after quitting last month. He upped the tempo before Starc struck again, with Abdullah Shafique caught behind for a tame 12.

Azam put on 39 with Rizwan before spinner Adam Zampa broke the partnership, bowling Azam for 37 with his fourth delivery.

His replacement Kamran Ghulam lasted just six balls, no match for a brutal Cummins bouncer, which the batsman gloved to wicketkeeper Inglis to leave Pakistan struggling on 70-4 after 19 overs.

A patient Rizwan played himself in, but the wickets kept falling.

Salman Agha was smartly taken at square leg for 12 by Short off Abbott, and Rizwan then departed attempting a sweep from part-time spinner Labuschagne.

Afridi hit an entertaining 24, but Starc again struck, rattling his middle stump, before a late flurry, with Shag adding a quick-fire 40.

The second ODI is scheduled to be played in Adelaide on Friday (8).