Australia vs Pakistan 2nd ODI ended in a victory for Australia as they defeated Pakistan in Lahore to level the three-match series 1-1 at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing a target of 232, Pakistan were bowled out for 190 in 44 overs despite a fighting half-century from Shadab Khan. The home side struggled from the start after losing both openers cheaply, putting immediate pressure on the middle order.
Pakistan’s chase began poorly when Maaz Sadaqat was dismissed for a duck and Sahibzada Farhan fell for just three, leaving the team at 6 for 2 inside two overs. Babar Azam briefly showed intent with two boundaries but was dismissed by Nathan Ellis after scoring 16 off 16 balls.
The middle order also failed to build momentum as Salman Ali Agha and Abdul Samad fell quickly. Wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori held the innings together for a while with a gritty 37 off 48 balls before being dismissed by Adam Zampa.
With Pakistan struggling at 78 for 6, Arafat Minhas and Shadab Khan attempted a recovery with a 59-run partnership. Minhas contributed 33 before falling to Ellis.
Shadab Khan continued the fight, later partnering briefly with captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, but Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Shaheen scored 11 before getting out, while Haris Rauf was dismissed for a duck on the final ball of the 44th over.
Shadab Khan remained the top scorer for Pakistan with 71 runs off 104 balls before being dismissed on the first ball of the next over. Australia’s bowling attack, led by Nathan Ellis with four wickets for 33 runs, proved decisive. Matthew Short took three wickets, while Zampa, Kuhnemann, and Tanveer Sangha added one each.
Earlier, Australia posted 231 for 9 in their 50 overs after choosing to bat. They were also put under pressure early when Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Alex Carey on the first ball of the innings.
Captain Josh Inglis and Matthew Short rebuilt the innings with a steady partnership before Abrar Ahmed broke through. Australia continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, but Cameron Green’s 53 helped stabilize the innings.
Shaheen Afridi led Pakistan’s bowling with three wickets, while Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed claimed two wickets each.
Despite Pakistan’s strong bowling effort, Australia’s disciplined attack and Pakistan’s batting collapse made the difference as the visitors secured a crucial win to level the series.
