Australia pulled off a two-wicket victory over Pakistan in a thrilling ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), despite a determined effort from Pakistan, who swung between dominance and vulnerability throughout the game. In the end, it was a cool-headed Pat Cummins who once again anchored a tricky chase, securing a win that looked far from certain after Haris Rauf’s electrifying spell nearly turned the match in Pakistan’s favor. Naseem Shah’s resilience with both bat and ball, combined with some tactical captaincy from Mohammad Rizwan, had kept Pakistan in the hunt until the very last stages.
The 25,831-strong crowd, largely Pakistani fans, brought a roaring atmosphere to the MCG, evoking memories of iconic Pakistan matches here. Despite outshouting the home crowd, Pakistan fans could only watch as their team fell short of what would have been a memorable heist, ending at 203.
Mitchell Starc set the tone early for Australia, with a stellar 3-for-33 spell that limited Pakistan. Pakistan’s batters couldn’t quite settle, with Rizwan’s 44 and Naseem’s spirited 40 helping Pakistan scrape to a defendable, though modest, total. In reply, Australia’s innings began shakily, with both Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk falling early. Steve Smith’s composed 44 and Josh Inglis’s quick-fire 49 helped Australia recover, taking them to 139 before Rauf’s fiery burst.
Smith, looking sharp despite recent Test struggles, fell to a mistimed shot that was caught at backward point. Inglis followed soon after, caught by Irfan Khan in the deep off a pull shot, leaving Australia to battle from 139 for 6. Rauf continued his onslaught, removing Labuschagne with a bouncer that was edged to third man and then having Maxwell caught behind, reducing Australia to 139 for 7 in a blink.
With Australia teetering, Cummins took charge, standing firm amid aggressive short-pitched bowling from Pakistan. After a tense run-out scare with Sean Abbott, Cummins remained composed, managing to edge Australia closer to victory. His unbeaten 32 may not have been his most spectacular knock, but it was just as valuable as any of his match-winning performances.
Pakistan Innings :
Australia restricted Pakistan to 203 in 46.4 overs, thanks to a fiery spell from Mitchell Starc, who took 3 wickets for 33 runs. Pakistan’s batters struggled on the bouncy Melbourne pitch after transitioning from the low-spin tracks of Multan and Rawalpindi. Babar Azam contributed 37 off 44 balls with a classy display, while new captain Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with a patient 44 from 71 deliveries. A late resurgence by Naseem Shah, who smashed 40 off 39 balls, helped Pakistan cross the 200-run mark.
Starc and Cummins spearheaded Australia’s attack, dominating Pakistan’s top order. Starc’s 140 km/h deliveries removed debutant Saim Ayub and opener Abdullah Shafique quickly. Ayub, struggling on his debut, scored only 3 runs, while Shafique managed 12 from 26 balls before edging a short ball from Starc.
Babar Azam showed promise but struggled to accelerate. After starting confidently, he misjudged an Adam Zampa delivery, losing his wicket on the off stump. Cummins delivered a fierce bouncer to Kamran Ghulam, forcing him to glove the ball to the keeper, further adding to Pakistan’s woes.
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Rizwan’s resistance eventually gave way to Marnus Labuschagne’s leg-spin, as he top-edged a sweep, hitting his helmet before being caught by Inglis. Labuschagne’s leg-spin success amused his teammates, as he had been focusing on medium pace lately.
A gritty tail-end partnership, featuring Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, brought a glimmer of hope to Pakistan. Naseem hit three sixes and four boundaries, while Shaheen and debutant Irfan Khan added vital runs. Starc ended Shaheen’s cameo, and Irfan Khan was run out for 22 after an unfortunate slip while running between the wickets.
Post-Match Presentations:
Player of the Match: Mitchell Starc:
“It’s great to start the summer positively. Our focus was on taking early wickets in the powerplay, and we managed to execute that well. There were some lapses in our fielding, but overall, it was a solid performance. The summer is packed, but we have five more white-ball games to focus on before looking too far ahead.”
Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan Captain):
“We put up a strong fight. Our bowling strategy didn’t rely on fifth or sixth options, as we didn’t expect the game to last all 50 overs. Luck favored Australia today. However, I’m proud of our effort and am grateful for the incredible support from Pakistani fans here in Australia.”
Pat Cummins (Australia Captain):
“A win’s always satisfying, though it got closer than we’d have liked. Our bowlers did a commendable job keeping them to 203. Marnus kept pushing me to give him an over, and he got the breakthrough we needed. We aim to keep up the aggressive approach while refining some areas.”
