Pakistan beat Australia to clinches ODI series

Agencies | Karachi

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Skipper Babar Azam hit a second successive century and Imam-ul-Haq an impressive half century yesterday to anchor Pakistan’s first series win over Australia since 2002 with a nine-wicket victory in the third and final one-dayt international in Lahore.

It was a dominant performance by the home team at Gaddafi Stadium as they dismissed Australia for a below-par 210 through their fast bowlers, who shared eight wickets, and then chased down the target in 37.5 overs losing just one wicket.

Azam, dropped by Travis Head off Jason Behrendorff on one, took full advantage of the reprieve, driving Marnus Labuschagne for two to complete his 16th ODI hundred off 110 balls. Azam, who scored 114 in the second game, hit 12 boundaries in his 115-ball 105 not out.

Unbeaten Haq followed his own back-to-back hundreds with a polished 89 for his 11th ODI half century. He cracked six boundaries and a six, and finished the series with 298 runs.

Haq and Azam shared an unbroken 190-run stand for the second wicket after opener Fakhar Zaman fell to Nathan Ellis for 17 -- Australia’s only success in the innings. The elusive win came after Pakistan lost six consecutive ODI series to Australia -- and the preceding three-match Test series 1-0 last month.

Australia won the first ODI by 88 runs while Pakistan clinched the second by six wickets, both also at the same venue Earlier, fast bowlers Haris Rauf (3-39), Mohammad Wasim (3-40) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-40) kept the pressure from the start as Australia were bowled out in 41.5 overs. Alex Carey top-scored with a gritty 61-ball 56 and Sean Abbott hit a 40-ball 49 in an otherwise dismal batting show by the visitors.

Sent in to bat for a third successive time by Azam, Australia lost in-form Head with the first ball of the match, from Shaheen. Out-of-form Finch fell in the next over from Rauf, trapped leg-before for a second time in a row, as Australia lost both openers without a run on the board.

Rauf made it 3-6 when Marnus Labuschagne edged one to slip for Iftikhar Ahmed to take a simple catch. Ben McDermott (36) and Marcus Stoinis (19) took the score to 59 when the latter chipped spinner Zahid Mahmood to Haq, who took a good diving catch.