After Australia had comfortably defended 231 in the second ODI, captain Josh Inglis decided to bat again in the series decider, aiming to post a similarly challenging target and provide his bowlers with a proper platform. Instead, Pakistan’s bowling attack disrupted the innings at crucial moments, and Australia were bowled out for 157. Matthew Kuhnemann’s spell kept the contest alive, but Babar Azam’s stubborn knock, followed by Shadab Khan’s late finishing touch, ensured Pakistan reached the target with four wickets to spare. The chase ended up being nerve-testing, but Pakistan got the job done.
Australia’s batting plan derailed
Inglis came in to open the innings instead of Alex Carey and was the lone batter who managed to push back against the Pakistan attack. He made 65 off 71 balls, while the next-highest score was just 19—shared by Marnus Labuschagne and Carey.
Shaheen Afridi made early inroads, removing Matthew Short in the very first over of the match. Australia then steadied themselves through partnerships: Inglis added runs with Labuschagne up to the 12th over, and later combined with Short until the 23rd. That work brought Australia to promising marks, with stands of 46 (69 balls) and 52 (62 balls) helping them move close to 100.
However, the momentum was cut short once the second partnership was broken. From there, Australia slipped into a collapse, losing seven wickets for only 37 runs over the next 16 overs. Afridi played a key role in setting the tone for this downfall, as he delivered the breakthrough that ended Inglis’s innings.
Spin impact and Pakistan’s bowling returns
Once again, spin proved difficult for Australia to manage. Abrar Ahmed kept the pressure on, bowling his full quota of 10 overs for 19 runs and striking twice—sending back Matthew Renshaw and Cooper Connolly.
Shadab Khan also tightened the screws in the middle overs, finishing with figures of 2/28 from nine overs. He removed Oliver Peake and Adam Zampa, further reducing Australia’s ability to rebuild after the initial break.
- Shaheen Afridi struck early and finished with 3 wickets.
- Abrar Ahmed: 10–0–19–2, with dismissals of Matthew Renshaw and Cooper Connolly.
- Shadab Khan: 9 overs for 28 runs, taking out Oliver Peake and Adam Zampa.
Pakistan chase: Powerplay bursts, then resistance
In response, Pakistan’s opener Maaz Sadaqat looked to take advantage of the Powerplay, smashing four boundaries in the first three overs. Nathan Ellis removed Sahibzada Farhan in the third over, but Sadaqat kept finding gaps and continued to play his shots through the eighth over.
That run of momentum ended when Short trapped Sadaqat leg before wicket for 27 off 26 balls. Babar Azam then took charge in a different way, starting cautiously before settling into his rhythm. His 40 off 84 balls provided the backbone of Pakistan’s chase, helping blunt Australia’s attempts to apply further pressure.
Matthew Kuhnemann, though, repeatedly tested Pakistan during the middle phase, keeping wickets and control in play. He first dismissed Ghazi Ghori in the 13th over. Later, more than 10 overs on from that breakthrough, he ended the partnership between Azam and Salman Agha by getting the latter caught behind, with turn and bounce. Kuhnemann struck again a few overs later to remove Azam, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position at 119/5.
Despite the setback, Pakistan managed the chase intelligently in the closing stages. Abdul Samad remained unbeaten on 18 off 30, while Shadab Khan carried the job over the line with 29 not out off 42, ensuring Pakistan finished at 161/6 in 41.5 overs.
Innings snapshot and result
Brief Scores: Australia 157 in 42 overs (Josh Inglis 65; Shaheen Afridi 3-30, Abrar Ahmed 2-19, Shadab Khan 2-28) lost to Pakistan 161/6 in 41.5 overs (Babar Azam 40, Shadab Khan 29*; Matthew Kuhnemann 3-38) by 4 wickets.
