Pakistan easily defeated Australia national cricket team by five wickets in the first ODI played in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan successfully chased down Australia’s target of 201 runs in the 43rd over, losing five wickets in the process. Babar Azam top-scored with 69 runs off 94 balls, while Ghazi Ghauri made a valuable contribution of 65 runs.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for 28 runs, while Moaz Sadaqat managed 8 runs. Salman Agha returned to the pavilion after scoring 6 runs, and Arafat Minhas remained unbeaten on 18. For Australia, Nathan Ellis claimed two wickets, while Matthew Kuhnemann, Tanveer Sangha, and Marnus Labuschagne picked up one wicket each.
Earlier, after being put into bat, Australia were bowled out for 200 runs in 44.1 overs, setting Pakistan a target of 201 for victory.
Matthew Renshaw’s innings of 61 runs went in vain, while Matthew Short’s 55-run knock also failed to help Australia secure a win.
In the first match of the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the visiting side was bowled out for 200 runs in the 45th over, giving Pakistan a target of 201 runs to win.
Alex Carey and Matthew Short opened the batting for Australia, but Carey was dismissed for 19 runs by Abrar Ahmed. Josh Inglis followed soon after, scoring 13 runs, while Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green were dismissed for ducks.
Matthew Short and Matt Renshaw were the top scorers for Australia, making 55 and 61 runs respectively. The other contributions came from Oliver Peake, who scored 7 runs, Nathan Ellis with 8, Tanveer Sangha, who was dismissed for 0, and Matthew Kuhnemann, who added 24 runs.
Debutant Arafat Minhas takes 5 wickets
Debutant Arafat Minhas took 5 wickets for 32 runs for Pakistan. Apart from him, Abrar Ahmed took 2 wickets, while captain Shaheen Afridi, Salman Agha, and Haris Rauf took one wicket each.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss against Australia and elected to field first. The match is being played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Speaking at the toss, Shaheen Afridi said that Pakistan is playing its 1,000th One Day International (ODI) match today, marking a significant milestone in the country’s cricket history. He described it as a great honour for Pakistan and said he was proud to captain the team on such a special occasion.
He added that it is a historic moment for the entire squad, and the team will strive to deliver a strong performance and secure a victory.
Australia got off to a shaky start in their innings after being put under pressure by Pakistan’s bowling attack. Alex Carey was the first to fall, dismissed for 19 runs after being caught by Abrar Ahmed, with Australia losing their opening wicket at 32.
Josh Inglis followed soon after, scoring 13 runs before being trapped lbw by Arafat Minhas. Marnus Labuschagne also failed to trouble the scorers, falling for a duck as he was dismissed lbw by Minhas. Australia were reduced to 62 after losing two quick wickets.
Cameron Green then became the next victim, failing to open his account as Arafat Minhas bowled him. Australia’s fourth wicket fell at 68 runs, as Pakistan maintained firm control with the ball.
Pakistan joins elite club with 1,000th ODI appearance
Pakistan has etched its name in cricket history by becoming only the third team in the world to play 1,000 One Day Internationals (ODIs).
The historic milestone was reached during Pakistan’s clash against Australia at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, marking the Green Shirts’ 1,000th ODI appearance since making their debut in the format.
With this achievement, Pakistan joins an exclusive list of teams to have reached the four-figure mark in ODI cricket, underlining the country’s rich legacy in the 50-over format.
To commemorate the occasion, Australian captain Josh Inglis presented a souvenir to Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi ahead of the historic match.
Speaking on the occasion, Shaheen Shah Afridi said he was proud to represent Pakistan in such a landmark game for the country’s cricket history.
It is worth noting that England and Australia occupy the top two positions in terms of the most ODI matches played, while Pakistan has now become the third team to reach the 1,000-match milestone.
Read more: Traffic plan announced for Pakistan-Australia match
