Pakistan Cricket Team Excellent Performance and Defeated By Australian Cricket Team By 5 Wickets in First One Day International Match in Rawalpindi
Asim Tanveer
ISLAMABAD: This was Pakistan’s 1,000th One Day International match and it was made memorable by debutant Arafat Minhas and it was also made a little better for Pakistan by the Australian cricket team as their team was bowled out for just 200 runs. Pakistan completed the target for 5 wickets and won by 5 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and decided to bowl first. The Australian team, which had one debutant, did not have a big batting line-up. Still, there were batsmen like Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey who did not work and the entire team was dismissed for 200 runs in 44.1 overs. Opener Matthew Short stood out from the top by scoring 55 runs. Matt Ranshaw later made a good contribution by scoring 61 runs. Names like Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green returned to the pavilion on a duck, while captain Josh English made 13. All three were targeted by Arafat Minhas.
Arafat Minhas, who made his debut for Pakistan, took five wickets for 52 runs. He became the first Pakistani bowler to take five wickets on debut. That too after 1000 ODI matches. Before that, Zakir Khan’s record was 4 wickets for 19 runs. Abrar Ahmed also dismissed two players.
In reply, Pakistan started well, but first Moaz Sadaqat was dismissed for 8 and Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for 28. After losing 2 wickets at 48, Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghauri took over.
Both completed their century partnership for the third wicket in the 35th over. During this time, Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghauri completed half-centuries.
Babar Azam was dismissed when Pakistan’s score was 176, and he made a brilliant partnership of 127 runs for the third wicket with Ghauri. Babar Azam was dismissed after playing an innings of 69 runs off 94 balls. When Pakistan was close to victory, Ghazi Ghauri was dismissed after scoring 65 runs. He played 92 balls. Salman Ali Agha was dismissed after scoring 6 runs.
Pakistan chased down the target in 42.3 overs for 5 wickets and won the match by 5 wickets. Nathan Ellis took 2 wickets.
