Fast bowler Nathan Ellis took a career best four-wicket haul as an understrength Australia shocked Pakistan by 41 runs in the second one-day international in Lahore on Tuesday, levelling the three-match series 1-1.
Australia’s total of 231-9 in 50 overs had fighting half centuries from Josh Inglis and Cameron Green before Ellis grabbed 4-33 to leave Pakistan 190 all out in 44 overs.
Pakistan won the first match by five wickets in Rawalpindi which now sets up a series-deciding match, also in Lahore on Thursday.
With a host of top ODI players including skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Australia’s second string staged a remarkable comeback, countering Pakistan’s spin and batting with confidence.
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Allrounder Shadab Khan played a lone hand for the home team with a resolute 104-ball 71 and was the last man out, stumped off a spinner Tanveer Sangha’s wide ball for Australian victory.
Ghazi Ghori made 37 with five boundaries.
Shadab hit three sixes and a boundary and repaired Pakistan’s faltering position of 6-78 with a 59-run stand with Arafat Minhas (33) and another 31 with Shaheen Shah Afridi (11).
But Ellis — whose previous best of 2-13 was against India in 2023 — dismissed Minhas leg-before to give Australia the gateway for victory.
Part-time spinner Matthew Short also took a career best 3-36.
Ellis gave Australia an ideal start by dismissing Maaz Sadaqat off the third ball of the innings for nought before getting the prized wicket of Babar Azam for 16.
Australian captain Josh Inglis praised a complete team effort led by Ellis.
“I think the guys played really well,” said Inglis. “You can always call on Nello (Ellis) on those sort of pitches, his variations are outstanding and he bowled outstanding tonight.”
Pakistan captain Shaheen rued leaking crucial runs in the final overs.
“I think we gave away 20-30 extra runs towards the end,” said Shaheen, also blaming early loss of wickets. “We lost wickets early on and that built pressure on us.”
Earlier, Green knocked a polished 92-ball 53 while Inglis scored a 74-ball 51 after the visitors were put in to bat by Pakistan.
The Green-Inglis duo lifted Australia from 51-3 with a sedate 51-run stand after Pakistan attacked with the spin as early as from the fifth over.
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But it was pacer Shaheen who bowled opener Alex Carey with the first ball of the match before spinners Abrar Ahmed and Minhas struck once each, removing Short (15) and Marnus Labuschagne for five respectively.
Inglis hit five boundaries in his fifth ODI fifty before he was bowled by Minhas in the 27th over.
Minhas, who took five wickets on debut in Rawalpindi on Saturday, finished with 2-27.
Green added another invaluable 65 runs for the fifth wicket with Matthew Renshaw (43) before Abrar removed Green to push the visitors hard.
Green’s third ODI half century had a single boundary and two sixes.
Oliver Peake ensured Australia post a fighting total with a brisk 32-ball 31 inclusive of two sixes and a boundary.
Shaheen was the best home bowler with 3-36.
–AFP
Photo: Sameer Ali/Getty Images
