Pakistan secured a historic ODI series victory over Australia, their first on Australian soil since 2002.
Pakistan demonstrated strategic prowess in the decisive third One-Day International, opting to field first under Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy. This decision capitalized on the absence of key Australian players, including Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith, who were rested in anticipation of their upcoming Test series against India.
Matthew Short managed a cautious 20 runs from 30 balls before being dismissed by Haris Rauf, leaving Australia at a precarious 72-4. The Australian side struggled further when Cooper Connolly retired hurt, and Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell quickly followed, worsening the score to 88-6 within 20.3 overs.
Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, who each took three wickets, dominated the match. Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain also made significant contributions with crucial wickets.
At the outset, Rizwan’s tactical choice to field aimed to secure both the match and the series, intending to make this tour a memorable triumph. Meanwhile, Australian captain Josh Inglis remained optimistic about the chances of his revamped lineup despite the pressure.
The series had been challenging. Pakistan lost the first ODI in Melbourne but rebounded strongly with a nine-wicket victory in Adelaide, setting the stage for a thrilling series finale at Optus Stadium.
The victorious Pakistan squad consisted of Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Hasnain. Conversely, the Australian team featured Josh Inglis, Matt Short, Jack Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardy, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Abbott, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, and Lance Morris.
