Match Details
That is it from the coverage of the second ODI between Pakistan and Australia. This is me (Suhail Kapoor) signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Arya and Ajay. Do stay tuned for more cricketing news and coverage.
Suhail: Pakistan had a stiff task at their hands when they started the chase of 349. But, their opening batsman made the task a bit easy by getting their team off to a good start. Imam was the first to take attack to the Australians and was followed by Fakhar who made full use of the opportunity given to him when Stoinis touched the boundary while taking a catch.
Both batsman capitalized on the loose balls on offer and kept picking the boundaries and ensured that the rate never climbed up. Australian fast bowlers failed to deliver with an early wicket and the spinners were bowling in tandem since the 11th over hoping to break the partnership. Both the openers also took attack to the spinners and did not allow them to settle down forcing Aussie captain to ring in changes to break the partnership. Fakhar reached his fifty in the 15th over and continued to hit the boundaries all over the ground. Pakistan crossed the 100-run mark in the 16th over and had all 10 wickets in the bank.
Australian Captain brought Stoinis and Swepson in the attack
in the hope of getting a wicket and Stoinis responded to the Captain’s call and
sent back Fakhar in the 19th over at the score of 67 by a ball that
gripped like an off-spinner and hit the top of off-stump. Babar joined Imam and
both started to build the partnership ensuring that they keep the scoreboard
moving. Imam continued to attack the Australian bowlers and allowed Babar to get
in. Swepson bowled too many short balls and allowed the batsman to score easy
runs.
Imam took on all bowlers and played a counter attacking knock and Babar was at his sublime best playing beautiful shots and finding the gaps. Finch tried to make changes at regular intervals with the hope of getting a wicket and stopping the flow of runs. The pitch did not offer any assistance for any of the Australian bowlers and Pakistan were 205/1 at the end of 30 overs needing 144 of the last 20 overs with 9 wickets in hand.
Imam reached his well-deserved hundred in the 32nd over and ensured that Pakistan were in the driver’s seat. Zampa dismissed Imam in 35th over at the score of 106 but, the damage was done by then. Babar was joined by Rizwan who looked positive like he always does and started scoring right from his arrival. Babar took over from Imam and started playing attacking shots not allowing the rate to go up.
Babar got to his hundred in the 42nd over and was seeing the ball like a football today scoring well against both pace and spin. None of the Australian bowlers with bowled with discipline and allowed Pakistan to get boundaries regularly. Babar was dismissed by Ellis at the score of at 114 but Pakistan were well in control of the game. Zampa took the wicket of Rizwan at 23 and tried to bring Australia back in the game.
A few lusty blows by Khushdil at the end ensured that Pakistan won the game by 6 wickets with 1 over to spare.