Pakistan cricket is going through a tough phase both on and off the field, with controversies and poor form shadowing the team. Despite these challenges, they put up a fight in their opening match against Australia but ultimately fell short.
In Melbourne, after losing the toss and being put into bat, Pakistan managed to score 203 runs, getting bowled out in 46.4 overs. Chasing a modest target, Australia reached the finish line in 33.3 overs with eight wickets down, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Australia’s chase had a shaky start, losing both openers for just 28 runs. However, a solid 85-run partnership between Steve Smith and Josh Inglis brought them back into the game, making it appear as if Australia would win comfortably.
But in the 17th over, Pakistan saw a glimmer of hope when Smith was dismissed for 44. Soon after, Afridi got Inglis to edge a short ball, dismissing him for a quick 49 off 42 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes.
In the 21st over, Haris Rauf made a double strike, sending Marnus Labuschagne back for 16 runs and dismissing Glenn Maxwell for a duck on the very next ball. Aaron Hardie couldn’t make a significant impact either, departing for 10 runs off 19 balls, putting Australia under pressure.
However, Pat Cummins’ resilience guided Australia to victory. He remained unbeaten on 32 off 31 balls, with Shaun Abbott contributing 13 runs off 19 balls before his dismissal.
Earlier, Pakistan, opting to bat first, struggled to build partnerships but managed to cross the 200-mark. Mohammad Rizwan was the top scorer with 44 runs, while tail-ender Naseem Shah added a valuable 40 runs off 39 balls, and Babar Azam contributed 37 runs.
With Australia claiming this victory, they take an early lead in the series, while Pakistan showed glimpses of resilience that they’ll hope to build on in upcoming matches.
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