Australia registered a brilliant comeback victory against Pakistan in the second ODI match. After losing the first game, the hosts played some smart cricket to win this match by 41 runs. With this crucial win, the three-match ODI series is now excitingly tied at 1-1.
The match was filled with great bowling performances from both sides. However, Pakistan's batting lineup failed to chase down a modest target. Australia's disciplined bowling attack kept the pressure high from the very first over of the second innings.
Australia Post Fighting Total After Early Blows
Australia did not have the best start after being put in to bat first. Pakistan's star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi struck on the very first ball of the match. He dismissed dangerous opener Alex Carey for a duck, putting Australia on the back foot immediately.
Soon after, the hosts lost Matt Short and Marnus Labuschagne cheaply as well. Young spinner Arafat Minhas and Abrar Ahmed bowled beautifully in the middle overs. Australia found themselves struggling at a dangerous position of 51 runs for the loss of 3 wickets.
Inglis and Green Build Crucial Partnership
When Australia looked in deep trouble, skipper Josh Inglis and all-rounder Cameron Green stepped up. Both batters showed great maturity and started rebuilding the innings slowly. They focused on rotating the strike and hitting occasional boundaries to release the pressure.
Josh Inglis played a captain's knock, scoring a vital 51 runs off 74 balls with five handsome boundaries. Cameron Green supported him brilliantly from the other end. Green scored a solid 53 runs off 92 balls, including one four and two big sixes.
Late Runs from Renshaw and Peake Help Australia
After the well-set batters got out, Matt Renshaw and Oliver Peake provided the finishing touch. Renshaw played an aggressive cameo, smashing 43 runs off just 43 balls. His quick innings helped Australia shift the momentum back in their favor in the death overs.
Oliver Peake also scored a quick-fire 31 runs off 32 balls with two sixes. Thanks to these useful contributions down the order, Australia managed to reach a respectable total of 231 runs before getting bowled out in exactly 50 overs.
Pakistan Bowlers Put Up a Great Show
Pakistan's bowling unit did a fantastic job to restrict Australia to 231 runs on a decent batting track. Captain Shaheen Afridi led from the front with his brilliant opening and closing spells. He picked up 3 crucial wickets while giving away 36 runs in his 8 overs.
The spin duo of Arafat Minhas and Abrar Ahmed also troubled the Australian batters continuously. Arafat Minhas was extremely economical, taking 2 wickets for just 27 runs in his 10 overs. Haris Rauf also chipped in with 2 wickets at the back end.
Pakistan Face Horrible Top-Order Collapse
Chasing a target of 232 runs, Pakistan's reply got off to a disastrous start. The visitors lost their opener Muhammad Sadaqat for a duck in the very first over. Sahibzada Farhan also fell quickly after scoring just 3 runs, leaving Pakistan at 6 for 2.
The pressure increased heavily when superstar batter Babar Azam was dismissed for 16 runs by Nathan Ellis. Soon, Salman Ali Agha and Abdul Samad also threw their wickets away cheaply. Pakistan's top order collapsed completely, leaving the team struggling at 58 for 5.
Ghouri and Shadab Try to Fight Back
Wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghouri tried his best to steady the sinking ship for a short while. He played some lovely shots around the ground and scored a fighting 37 runs off 48 balls. Unfortunately, he could not convert his good start into a big match-winning score.
After Ghouri's dismissal, experienced all-rounder Shadab Khan took the charge. Shadab played a magnificent innings under immense pressure to keep Pakistan alive in the game. He held one end firmly and fought hard against a top-class Australian bowling attack.
Shadab and Arafat Construct Mid-Innings Partnership
Shadab Khan found an able partner in young Arafat Minhas, who showed great fight with the bat too. The duo formed a very crucial partnership of 59 runs for the seventh wicket. They gave Pakistani fans some hope of a dramatic comeback victory.
Arafat Minhas played a sensible knock of 33 runs off 43 balls, smashing four boundaries. He looked quite comfortable against both pace and spin. However, Nathan Ellis broke this dangerous partnership by trapping Arafat right in front of the stumps.
Nathan Ellis Runs Through Pakistan Lineup
Australian fast bowler Nathan Ellis was the chief destroyer with the ball. He used his variations perfectly on this pitch and never allowed Pakistani batters to settle down. Ellis broke the backbone of Pakistan's batting lineup with his regular breakthroughs.
He finished with outstanding match figures of 4 wickets for 33 runs in his 9 overs. Whenever Pakistan tried to build a partnership, Ellis came back into the attack to pick up a wicket. His brilliant spell earned him the appreciation of the entire stadium.
Matt Short Wraps Up the Tail Quickly
Apart from Nathan Ellis, all-rounder Matt Short also did a commendable job with his off-spin. He picked up 3 vital wickets for 36 runs in his 8 overs. Short got the important wicket of Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi just when he was trying to score fast.
Shadab Khan was the last man to fall after scoring a brilliant 71 runs off 104 balls. He got stumped out while trying to hit a big shot against Tanveer Sangha. The entire Pakistan team was bowled out for 190 runs in 44 overs, losing the match by 41 runs.
Deciding Third ODI Promises High Drama
This clinical win for Australia has set up a massive finale for cricket fans. Both teams have won one match each, making the upcoming third ODI a must-watch virtual final. The winner of the next match will take home the beautiful ODI series trophy.
Pakistan will definitely need to work hard on their batting performance before the final showdown. On the other hand, Australia will look to carry this winning momentum forward. Fans can expect a high-voltage contest between these two top cricketing nations.
What do you think went wrong for Pakistan in this match? Do you believe Pakistan can bounce back to win the final ODI and seal the series? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Read Also: Missed the action from the first half? Click here to read our detailed report on Australia's first innings and how they set this target!
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