Pakistan completed a 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia in Lahore on Thursday, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan delivering match-winning performances in a tense four-wicket win at Gaddafi Stadium.
Shaheen claimed 3-30 to bowl Australia out for 157, before Shadab combined a composed 29 not out with his two wickets to guide Pakistan home in 41.5 overs. It was Pakistan’s third successive ODI series victory over Australia, having won the opening match by five wickets in Rawalpindi. Australia had levelled the series with a 41-run win in the second fixture, also in Lahore.
Australia’s innings unravelled after Josh Inglis provided the only meaningful resistance with a 71-ball 65, which included eight boundaries and a six. Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey contributed 19 each, while Adam Zampa made 10. Inglis shared a 46-run stand for the second wicket with Labuschagne and a further 52 for the third with Carey, but Australia collapsed dramatically, losing their last seven wickets for just 38 runs, with two run-outs compounding their difficulties.
Shaheen struck early, having Matthew Short caught off the second ball of the match. Abrar Ahmed, who finished with 2-19, and Shadab, who took 2-28, built effectively on those initial strikes as Australia folded in 42 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat.
Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann gave Australia brief hope with a career-best 3-38, which included the wicket of Babar Azam for 40, reducing Pakistan to a precarious 112-6. However, Shadab found a reliable partner in Abdul Samad, and the pair added an unbroken 49 runs for the seventh wicket to settle the contest. Shadab’s second boundary sealed the win, with Samad contributing an unbeaten 18.
Shaheen was generous in his praise of the collective effort. “All bowlers executed plans well to keep Australia down to 157,” he said. “The conditions were tough for the batters but the players put in a great effort. I think it was a complete team effort throughout the series.”
Australian captain Josh Inglis acknowledged that his side had fallen short despite a promising position. “I thought the bowlers and the fielding group made a great effort to put us in a position to potentially win the game, but it wasn’t to be in the end,” he said. “We have some young and inexperienced guys so it’s a great learning experience for them.”
