Pakistan’s bowling attack jolted the Australian batting line-up with a brilliant bowling display and restricted them to 210 runs in the third and final ODI at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Star pacer, Shaheen Shah, and right-arm fast bowler, Haris Rauf, struck in their first overs and sent the in-form batter, Travis Head, and captain Aaron Finch back to the pavilion without scoring.
It was the first time since January 2006 that both Australian openers were dismissed for a duck. Last time former wicket-keeper batter, Adam Gilchrist, and Simon Katich were bowled out on duck against South Africa at Brisbane.
In the series decider, Babar Azam won the toss and invited Aaron Finch to bat first. At the very first ball of the match, Shaheen clean bowled Travis Head with a beauty.
In the second over, Haris Rauf got the Australia captain leg before wicket on the third delivery of his first over. It was the first time in this series that Australia lost their five wickets before 100 runs as they lost the fifth wicket on 67 runs.
It is pertinent to mention that it was the 45th instance of both openers losing their wickets without scoring in the history of ODI cricket. The same has happened to West Indies and India eight and six times respectively.
In World Cup competitions, it has happened just two times; first when Pakistan lost the openers against New Zealand in the 1983 World Cup while New Zealand lost their opening pair against West Indies in the 2019 World Cup.
It was the sixth time Pakistan’s bowlers dismissed opposition opening batters on duck, having achieved the feat against New Zealand and Scotland once while against West Indies three times.
Talking about the game, Pakistan defeated the visiting side by 9 wickets and clinched the three-match ODI series by 2-1, their first series win over Australia after 20 years.