Australia beats Pakistan by 92 runs at the Gabba in first ODI

Australia has opened the five-match ODI series against Pakistan with a solid 92-run victory at the Gabba on Friday night.

A maiden ODI century from Matthew Wade helped the home side reach 9-268 from the full 50 overs, and Pakistan was dismissed for 176 with 7.2 overs to spare.

On a fiercely hot day in Brisbane, Australian debutant paceman Billy Stanlake went off with heat stress early in the Pakistan innings, while opener Azhar Ali picked up a hamstring injury running between wickets and was eventually forced to retire hurt on 12, shortly after Sharjeel Khan was dismissed for 18.

Stanlake returned later, but only bowled three overs for 13.

Mohammad Hafeez lasted just seven balls before becoming James Faulkner's second victim, caught behind by Wade for 4 to leave the tourists 2-47 in the 11th over.

Umar Akmal and Babar Azam steadied the ship for a while, but Akmal was dismissed by Mitchell Starc for 17 in the 17th over.

Babar Azam (33) fell to Pat Cummins nine overs later, and Mohammad Rizwan (21) was dismissed by the same bowler to make it 5-129 with just under 20 overs remaining.

With the required run-rate rising rapidly in the 33rd over, Azhar returned to the crease after the departure of Mohammad Nawaz (1), which left Pakistan 6-133.

By the time Azhar finally departed for 24, when Warner ran in to take the catch off a Faulkner delivery, his side was eight wickets down for 163.

The Australians quickly wrapped things up with the wickets of Mohammad Amir (8) and Wahab Riaz (6).

Faulkner took 4-32, while Starc had 2-34 and Cummins finished with 3-33.

Earlier, Australia's batsmen were quickly in difficulties as the tourists attacked with intent.

Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Hafeez cramped the batsmen early on, and Amir struck in the third over, sending down a swinging delivery which bowled Warner for 7.

Amir made it two in two balls when Steve Smith edged a full and wide ball behind to wicketkeeper Rizwan to depart for a golden duck to leaver Australia 2-13..

Much of the interest lay in the ODI debut of big-hitting Chris Lynn, who was picked on the back of his standout play for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash.

He managed 16 runs off 12 balls - including one big six over mid-wicket - before skying one to Rizwan off the bowling of paceman Hasan Ali. Head (39) made a run-a-ball before tickling an edge to Rizwan off slow left-armer Imad Wasim.

Mitch Marsh did not last long, giving Rizwan his fourth catch of the innings when he departed for 4 off 17 balls to leave the hosts 5-78.

Glenn Maxwell and Wade steadied the innings with an 82-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Maxwell hit seven fours in what was - for him - a restrained knock but when he skied an off-cutter from Hasan Ali to midwicket to depart for 60, Australia was back in trouble at 6-160.

Mohammad Nawaz then struck off the last ball of the 34th over, dismissing James Faulkner (5), who got a thick outside edge off a turning ball and was caught by Mohammad Hafeez at slip.

Nawaz and Hafeez continued to frustrate the Australians, but Wade passed 50 and Pat Cummins made sure his partner had the majority of the strike.

However a terrible mix-up led to Cummins being run out in the 43rd over, bringing Mitchell Starc to the crease at number 10.

With five overs to go, Australia was 8-233 and looking to push on towards 270. Hasan Ali scattered Starc's stumps to dismiss him for 10, but some more lusty hitting from Wade kept things going.

There was nearly a run out off the penultimate ball, but Wade was on strike on 99 not out for the final delivery, and he made his ground off a leading edge to midwicket to complete his first-ever ODI century.

 

Author: 
www.abc.net.au