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Agencies
LAHORE
An unbeaten 190-run partnership between skipper Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq saw hosts Pakistan clinched their first One-Day International series against Australia in 20 years at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Pakistan claimed the series 2-1 after a depleted Australia were shot out for 210 in 41.5 overs, and the target overhauled in style (214-1) in 37.5 overs.
Azam made his second successive century in an unbeaten 105 and Imam continued his dream run of form with an unbeaten 89.
Australia posted 300-plus scores in the last two ODIs but crashed against the Pakistan pace. Haris Rauf (3-39) and Shaheen Afridi (2-40) jolted the top order and young fast bowler Mohammad Wasim polished off the lower order to take 3-40.
Australia, without leading players, surprisingly won the first game in which an Imam century went in vain. But Babar and Imam combined brilliantly in the next two games, both scoring centuries on Thursday, then combining for an unbeaten 190 on Saturday.
“When you lose the first game, you need confidence, and credit goes to the players for stepping up their game in the last two matches,” Babar said.
“Once Shaheen and Haris took those early wickets, it made things easy for us and put the opposition under pressure.”
The series victory pushed Pakistan to eighth place in the Super League from which the top seven teams will directly qualify for next year’s Cricket World Cup in India. Australia was fourth.
Babar and Imam joined in the fourth over after Nathan Ellis found Fakhar Zaman’s leading edge on 17 with an off-cutter and Marnus Labuschagne took a simple catch at mid-off.
Both batters dominated the seven-man Australian attack, especially Babar, who hit 12 boundaries in his 115-ball knock.
Scores: Pakistan 214 for 1 (Babar 105, Imam 89*) beat Australia 210 (Carey 56, Abbott 49, Rauf 3-39, Wasim 3-40) by nine wickets.
LAHORE
An unbeaten 190-run partnership between skipper Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq saw hosts Pakistan clinched their first One-Day International series against Australia in 20 years at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Pakistan claimed the series 2-1 after a depleted Australia were shot out for 210 in 41.5 overs, and the target overhauled in style (214-1) in 37.5 overs.
Azam made his second successive century in an unbeaten 105 and Imam continued his dream run of form with an unbeaten 89.
Australia posted 300-plus scores in the last two ODIs but crashed against the Pakistan pace. Haris Rauf (3-39) and Shaheen Afridi (2-40) jolted the top order and young fast bowler Mohammad Wasim polished off the lower order to take 3-40.
Australia, without leading players, surprisingly won the first game in which an Imam century went in vain. But Babar and Imam combined brilliantly in the next two games, both scoring centuries on Thursday, then combining for an unbeaten 190 on Saturday.
“When you lose the first game, you need confidence, and credit goes to the players for stepping up their game in the last two matches,” Babar said.
“Once Shaheen and Haris took those early wickets, it made things easy for us and put the opposition under pressure.”
The series victory pushed Pakistan to eighth place in the Super League from which the top seven teams will directly qualify for next year’s Cricket World Cup in India. Australia was fourth.
Babar and Imam joined in the fourth over after Nathan Ellis found Fakhar Zaman’s leading edge on 17 with an off-cutter and Marnus Labuschagne took a simple catch at mid-off.
Both batters dominated the seven-man Australian attack, especially Babar, who hit 12 boundaries in his 115-ball knock.
Scores: Pakistan 214 for 1 (Babar 105, Imam 89*) beat Australia 210 (Carey 56, Abbott 49, Rauf 3-39, Wasim 3-40) by nine wickets.
