Shaheen Afridi stars as Pakistan clinches third consecutive ODI series victory over Australia with 2-1 triumph
Pakistan sealed a 2-1 One-Day International (ODI) series victory over Australia on Thursday, extending their dominance over the visitors by securing a third consecutive ODI series win against the former world champions.
The triumph marks Pakistan’s second successive home ODI series win over Australia and their third straight 2-1 series success overall. Australia’s wait for an ODI series victory in Pakistan now stretches back to 1998.
Pakistan overcame a spirited Australian challenge to win the decisive third ODI and clinch the three-match series 2-1, continuing their impressive recent record against the visitors.
Chasing a modest target of 158, Pakistan faced resistance from Australia’s bowlers before an unbeaten partnership between Abdul Samad and Shadab Khan guided the hosts to victory.
Pakistan’s innings began cautiously but suffered an early setback with the dismissal of Sahibzada Farhan. Maaz Sadaqat made a promising start but was unable to convert it into a significant score.
Former captain Babar Azam anchored the chase with a composed 40 off 84 deliveries on a difficult batting surface, stabilising the innings as wickets fell at regular intervals around him.
However, Babar’s dismissal left the contest delicately poised. Abdul Samad and Shadab Khan then combined for an unbeaten 49-run stand, holding their nerve under pressure to steer Pakistan across the finish line.
Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers delivered another disciplined performance to dismiss Australia for 157 runs. The visitors suffered a dramatic collapse, losing their final seven wickets for just 38 runs.
Australian captain Josh Inglis offered the only significant resistance, scoring 65 from 71 balls. No other Australian batter managed to reach 20, while seven players were dismissed for single-figure scores.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi led the bowling attack with figures of 3 for 30 from eight overs. Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan claimed two wickets each, while Haris Rauf chipped in with one wicket. Pakistan also completed two run-outs as part of an excellent fielding display.
Shaheen was named Player of the Match for his match-winning spell and praised the team’s collective effort after the victory, particularly the bowlers for restricting Australia to a below-par total.
The Player of the Series award went to young all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who enjoyed a memorable debut ODI series. He scored 60 runs and took seven wickets in three matches, playing a pivotal role in Pakistan’s success.
Australian captain Josh Inglis acknowledged his team’s batting struggles, admitting they had fallen short in a manner similar to the opening match of the series. He nevertheless praised the efforts of Australia’s bowlers and fielders for keeping the contest alive until the closing stages.
Australia will now travel to Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series beginning on June 9, while Pakistan’s next assignment will be a two-match Test series against the West Indies starting on July 25 in the Caribbean.
