Pakistan secured a memorable series victory against Australia, winning the third One-Day International by four wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday. The triumph gave the hosts a 2-1 win in the three-match ODI series.
Australia's innings folded for 157
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Australia struggled against a disciplined Pakistani bowling attack. The visitors were dismissed for just 157 runs in 42 overs on a slow-paced pitch. Captain Josh Inglis top-scored with a gritty 65 off 71 balls, including eight boundaries and a six. Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey contributed 19 runs each, while Adam Zampa made 10.
Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi led the bowling charge with figures of 3-30. He was well supported by spinners Abrar Ahmed (2-19) and Shadab Khan (2-28), while Haris Rauf chipped in with a wicket. Shaheen struck early, dismissing Matthew Short off the second ball of the match. Inglis then added 46 runs for the second wicket with Labuschagne and a further 52 for the third wicket with Carey. However, Australia's batting collapsed dramatically, losing their last seven wickets for a mere 38 runs. Two run-outs also hurt their innings.
Pakistan's chase and series win
Chasing a modest target of 158, Pakistan's batting lineup faced some difficulties. Babar Azam anchored the innings with a composed 40, while Moaz Sadaqat added 27 runs. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, making the chase tense. The match was eventually secured by Abdul Samad and Shadab Khan, who shared an unbroken 49-run partnership for the seventh wicket to guide Pakistan home in the 42nd over.
This victory marked a strong comeback for Pakistan after losing the second ODI by 41 runs in Lahore on Tuesday. Pakistan had won the first match by five wickets in Rawalpindi.
