AUSTRALIA’s captain, Pat Cummins, held his nerve with an unbeaten 32, guiding his team to a close two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first of three one-day internationals on Monday. Chasing a target of 204, Australia reached the total with 99 balls remaining but faced a scare, losing three wickets in five balls.
"Wonderful match but it got a little tighter than I would have liked it there," said Cummins.
With regulars Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head on paternity leave, Australia’s opening pair featured Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short. Short was dismissed early, top-edging to Saim Ayub off Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Fraser-McGurk managed 16 before he was caught by Irfan Khan off Naseem Shah.
Steve Smith and Josh Inglis then steadied the innings, adding 85 runs for the third wicket until Smith was caught by Ayub off Haris Rauf for 44. Inglis, looking to push the score further, was out for 49 after being caught by Khan off Afridi.
When Rauf claimed both Marnus Labuschagne (16) and Glenn Maxwell (for a golden duck) shortly after, Australia slipped to 139-6, keeping the game in contention.
Mohammad Hasnain bowled Aaron Hardie for 10, and Sean Abbott was run out for 13, leaving Australia in need of 19 runs with only two wickets remaining. Cummins, supported by Mitchell Starc (two), took Australia across the line.
"Really happy with how the guys bowled, everyone played their roles beautifully," said Cummins. "Obviously we need to try and find some partnerships (in the batting)."
Earlier, Mitchell Starc’s 3-33 helped Australia dismiss Pakistan for 203. Newly appointed captain Mohammad Rizwan led Pakistan with a top score of 44, but they found it difficult against Australia’s disciplined bowling. Pakistan was all out in the 47th over after Australia opted to bowl first.
"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 match since last year’s World Cup, Starc claimed an early breakthrough, with Ayub chopping onto his stumps in the third over. Babar Azam joined the crease but departed for 37 after building a 39-run partnership with Rizwan, bowled by spinner Adam Zampa.
Kamran Ghulam, new to the crease, fell soon after to a Cummins bouncer, gloving it to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, leaving Pakistan at 70-4 after 19 overs. Rizwan’s patience stabilized the innings, though wickets continued to fall. Salman Agha was taken at square leg by Short off Abbott, and Rizwan fell attempting a sweep off Labuschagne.
Shaheen Afridi scored a lively 24 before Starc bowled him, with Shadab Khan adding a quick 40 to push the total.
(With inputs from AFP)
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