On Monday, Australia won the first match of their three-game ODI series against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Josh Inglis scored 49 runs for Australia, while Haris Rauf claimed three wickets, showcasing Pakistan’s strong but unsuccessful comeback. Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s new captain, led his team with 44 runs but faced tough Australian bowling, leading to Pakistan being all out in the 47th over.
Babar Azam formed a 39-run partnership with Rizwan until Adam Zampa, bowling Azam for 37, broke through. Kamran Ghulam fell quickly to a Pat Cummins bouncer, caught by Inglis, leaving Pakistan at 70-4 after 19 overs.
Rizwan anchored the innings and hit the day’s first six off Starc, but Pakistan continued to lose wickets. Salman Agha was caught by Matt Short off Sean Abbott for 12, and Inglis caught Rizwan off a sweep from Marnus Labuschagne.
Shaheen Shah Afridi hit a quick 24 before Starc bowled him. A final surge from the lower order, including 40 from Naseem Shah, pushed Pakistan past 200.
Australian captain Pat Cummins chose to bowl first, leading a team missing Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, who are on paternity leave.
This match was Pakistan’s first ODI since last year’s World Cup, with Rizwan stepping in as captain after Babar Azam stepped down. Irfan Khan debuted his ODI, and Shaheen Shah Afridi led the fast bowling group.
Pakistan’s Test coach, Jason Gillespie, is managing the team for this series and the upcoming three T20 matches following white-ball coach Gary Kirsten’s resignation last week.
Read: Jason Gillespie Appointed as Interim White-Ball Coach for Pakistan’s Australia Tour
