Pakistan outplay Australia in thrilling ODI as Minhas makes history

Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan out-spun Australia by five wickets in the first one-day international in Rawalpindi with spinner Arafat Minhas becoming the first home bowler to take five wickets on ODI debut on Saturday. Minhas finished with 5-32 as an under-strength Australia were bowled out for 200 in 44.1 overs before Pakistan chased down the target in 42.3 overs for a memorable win in their 1,000th ODI. Babar Azam notched a 94-ball 69 while Ghazi Ghori hit an impressive 92-ball 65 as Australia’s inexperienced spinners failed to match Pakistan’s slow bowlers on a dry spin-assisting Pindi Stadium pitch. Azam and Ghori added 127 runs for the third wicket after Sahibzada Farhan (28) and Maaz Sadaqat (eight) fell with the score at 49. Azam hit four boundaries and a six while Ghori’s knock had eight hits to the rope before both falling to pacer Nathan Ellis, but with just 16 to win that did not hurt Pakistan. Minhas smashed a six to complete the victory.

Australia are missing a host of key players, including regular skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood alongside opener Travis Head. Australia, sent in to bat, saw Matthew Renshaw hitting a career best 63-ball 61 and opener Matthew Short scoring a 76-ball 55 amidst a spin assault with eight wickets going to slow bowlers. It was Abrar (2-44) who broke the opening stand of 34 with the wicket of Alex Carey for 19, before Minhas destroyed the batting with guile and accuracy. Minhas had stand-in skipper Josh Inglis (13) and Marnus Labuschagne (nought) in his fourth over before getting Cameron Green for a third-ball duck in his next. At 68-4, Australia were in a spot of bother, but Short and Renshaw fought hard through a fifth-wicket stand of 55 before Minhas broke the stand, getting Short stumped. Abrar returned for his second spell to dismiss Renshaw while Arafat completed his five-wicket haul by Nathan Ellis for eight. Short hit six boundaries in his fourth ODI half-century, while Renshaw’s knock had five boundaries and a six. The remaining two matches are in Lahore on Tuesday and Thursday.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 202 for 5 (Babar 69, Ghori 65, Ellis 2-45) beat Australia 200 (Renshaw 61, Short 55, Minhas 5-32, Abrar 2-44) by five wickets.