Pakistan rewrites history with an 8-wicket win to claim the ODI series over Australia

The Pakistan cricket team has found its way back into form. The side, which recently claimed a Test series win over England at home, carried the winning momentum when they arrived in Australia for the white-ball series. Playing under the recently appointed skipper Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan successfully capitalized on their strengths, with their pacers leading the charge to victory. The Men in Green secured an 8-wicket triumph over the Kangaroos at Perth in the third ODI, clinching their first series win in Australia in 22 years.

Pakistan seal a series win in Australia after 22 years

The Australia vs Pakistan series saw Pat Cummins returning to his leadership role, while Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head were unavailable, observing their respective paternity leaves. The Cummins-led side, which included players like Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, started strong by opening the series with a narrow 2-wicket win over the visitors. However, the first match helped Pakistan refine their plans for the remaining games, particularly as they observed their pacers, especially Haris Rauf, in red-hot form. Consequently, when the visitors faced the Kangaroos in Adelaide, they registered a commanding 9-wicket victory. Haris Rauf was named Player of the Match for his scintillating five-wicket haul.

The series decider began with Pakistan electing to bowl first against the hosts. Australia took the field with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis leading the side as Pat Cummins opted for a break ahead of the Border Gavaskar series against India. The match at Perth didn’t require Pakistan to use a fifth bowling option, as their four pacers dismantled the Australian batting lineup swiftly. Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah scalped three wickets each, while Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf claimed one and two wickets, respectively. 

Remarkably, not a single half-century stand was observed from the Australian batting lineup across the three matches. In the final game at Adelaide, Australia’s highest scorer was Sean Abbott, who managed just 30 runs in an innings that ended at a meager 140. Haris Rauf was the standout bowler of the series, taking 10 wickets across the three matches, with Shaheen Afridi providing strong support by claiming eight scalps.

In a low-scoring series, Pakistan’s top-order batters, particularly Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique, played pivotal roles in providing crucial starts that guided their team to back-to-back victories. Babar Azam fittingly hit the winning runs in Perth, forming a decisive 50-run partnership with Mohammad Rizwan, who stepped up admirably as captain. This victory marks a remarkable turnaround for Pakistan after a challenging start to 2024, during which they endured a Test series whitewash in Australia, a Test series loss to Bangladesh, and a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign.

Wins in a Test series against England and now an ODI series in Australia have rejuvenated the team, significantly boosting morale as they prepare to host the ICC Champions Trophy in early 2025. The focus now shifts to the upcoming three-match T20 series between the two teams. The series kicks off at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 14, followed by games at the SCG in Sydney and the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, concluding what has been an eventful tour.