Captain Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq smashed highly effective centuries on Thursday as Pakistan leveled the three-match collection in opposition to a depleted Australia with its largest ever profitable run-chase in an ODI.
Babar made a blistering 114 off 83 balls and Imam scored 106 as Pakistan marched to 349-4 with an over to spare for a six-wicket win.
Australia had earlier made one other imposing complete of 348-8 after Babar received the toss and elected to discipline for the second sport in a row. Ben McDermott’s (104) maiden take a look at hundred shaped the cornerstone of Australia’s robust complete.
Khushdil Shah scored an unbeaten 27 off 17 balls and Iftikhar Ahmed (8 not out) raised Pakistan’s memorable victory with six balls to spare after Babar and Imam had dominated an inexperienced Australian bowling assault.
Travis Head (89) missed out on his second successive century whereas Marnus Labuschagne (59) and Marcus Stoinis (49) additionally performed cameos to arrange one other difficult complete for Pakistan after Australia had defended 313-7 within the first sport of the three-match collection.
The emphatic win broke Pakistan’s 10-match shedding streak in opposition to Australia, which is lacking a number of main gamers and solely had 13 match gamers to selected from after the white-ball squad in Lahore was hit by COVID-19.
The imposing Pakistan chase eclipsed its earlier highest profitable chase within the 50-over format when it made 329-7 to beat Bangladesh by three wickets in an Asia Cup sport at Mirpur in 2014.
Two days in the past Imam’s century went in useless when Australia recorded an emphatic 88-run, however the left-handed opening batter ensured Pakistan didn’t slip up for the second successive time by that includes in two stable century partnerships.
Imam laid a rollicking platform of 118 runs with Fakhar Zaman, who made 67 earlier than Fakhar was undone by Stoinis’ slower supply and was clear bowled within the nineteenth over.
Australia’s understrength bowling assault cracked up in opposition to the sensible strokeplay of Babar, who dominated the dual spin menace of Adam Zampa and Mitchell Swepson with flurry of boundaries on each side of the wickets.
Imam, who additionally scored a century in every innings in opposition to Australia within the first take a look at earlier this month, batted resolutely and hit six fours and three sixes earlier than he perished within the thirty fifth over when he holed out at long-on off Zampa.
However Babar, who was criticized for his gradual strike fee within the first sport, took cost in opposition to the spinners and inexperienced quick bowlers as he raised his century off simply 71 balls.
Babar departed within the forty fifth over with Pakistan needing 40 for victory when he was well caught at mid-wicket by Labuschagne in Ellis’ return spell earlier than Khushdil stored his cool and carried Pakistan house with two sixes and two fours.
Earlier, McDermott, who scored his maiden ODI half century in Australia’s 88-run win on Tuesday, added 162 runs for the second-wicket stand with Head after captain Aaron Finch was out plumb leg earlier than wicket off the primary ball he confronted from Shaheen Afridi.
McDermott reached his half century with a straight six off spinner Iftikhar and raised his century with an equivalent shot in opposition to left-arm spinner Khushdil.
McDermott hit 10 fours and 4 sixes earlier than he missed a full toss from Mohammad Wasim and holed out to mid-wicket however Stoinis supplied a late flourish along with his breezy knock off 33 balls.
Afridi, who returned after lacking the primary sport as a result of a knee damage, picked up three late wickets to complete with 4-63, nevertheless it was the Pakistan spinners who struggled in opposition to Australia’s top-order batters.
Iftikhar and Khushdil leaked 95 runs off their mixed 10 overs whereas Zahid Mahmood went for 71 off his 10 overs for the only wicket of Head, who top-edged a sweep in opposition to the leg-spinner.
The third and closing ODI shall be performed on Saturday earlier than Australia spherical off its tour to Pakistan with a one-off Twenty20 subsequent Tuesday.
