1st ODI
Naseem Shah has powered the Pakistan team to 203 runs in the first ODI
Pakistan scored 203 in 46.4 overs vs Australia.
Pakistan put up a lackluster performance with the bat in the opening ODI of the Australian summer, getting bowled out for a modest 203 at the MCG.
Australia dominated from the start, and had it not been for Naseem Shah’s spirited cameo, the visitors would have struggled to even reach 200.
Mitchell Starc wasted no time making an impact with the new ball, striking in just his second over as debutant Saim Ayub chopped one onto his stumps.
Pakistan’s first boundary came only in the sixth over, and the pressure mounted when Abdullah Shafique was dismissed shortly after.
Playing their first ODI in almost a year, Pakistan once again had to lean heavily on Babar Azam and new captain Mohammad Rizwan to pull them out of trouble.
Babar, struggling for runs in Test cricket, looked back to his best in the 50-over format, finding his rhythm with a flurry of elegant boundaries.
A pull shot off Starc saw Babar race to 26 off just 19 balls, while Rizwan, at the other end, started more cautiously, scoring 7 off 25 deliveries at one point.
However, disaster struck when Babar misjudged the length of an Adam Zampa delivery and was bowled, a huge blow given he was the only batter looking comfortable on a tricky pitch.
Pat Cummins, also playing his first ODI since the World Cup final last year, added to Pakistan’s woes by dismissing Kamran Ghulam with a sharp bouncer.
At 70/4, Pakistan’s hopes were hanging by a thread, and they desperately needed partnerships to rebuild.
Rizwan tried to break the shackles with a six off Starc, but Agha Salman fell cheaply for 12 off 29 balls after mistiming a pull.
The pivotal moment came when Marnus Labuschagne, introduced into the attack, removed Rizwan with a well-flighted googly that the Pakistan captain top-edged while attempting a sweep.
At 117/6, Pakistan’s innings was on the brink of collapse, but Irfan Khan and Shaheen Afridi steadied the ship with valuable contributions.
Naseem Shah then added some late fireworks, smashing two sixes and a four off Zampa in a blistering final push that took Pakistan past the 200-run mark.
Ultimately, Cummins ended Naseem’s entertaining knock, but not before the tailender had added vital runs to give Pakistan a fighting chance.
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