Pakistan cruise to victory in ODI series after Australia’s latest batting horror show | Cricket

Cooper Connolly suffered what could be a broken hand as Australia surrendered their ODI series to Pakistan after another disastrous display with the bat.

Australia, missing Test stars Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, finished with a paltry 140 from 31.5 overs on Sunday, with Connolly unable to return after retiring hurt on seven. In reply, Pakistan reached the victory target with 139 balls to spare to complete an eight-wicket win and a 2-1 series triumph over the world champions. It marked Pakistan’s first series win over the Aussies in Australia in 22 years.

Saim Ayub (42) and Abdullah Shafique (37) set the platform for Pakistan before Mohammad Rizwan (30 years) and Babar Azam (28 years) finished the job.

Australia only reached the 204-run victory target in match one in Melbourne before being bowled out for 163 in a nine-wicket loss to Pakistan in Adelaide. The batting performance in Perth in front of 19,781 fans was even worse, with tailender Sean Abbott top-scoring with 30 from 41 balls and opener Matt Short (22) second best.

It was the first time that no Australian batsman has registered a half-century in an ODI series lasting three or more matches. Jake Fraser-McGurk (7), Aaron Hardie (12), Josh Inglis (7), Glenn Maxwell (0) and Marcus Stoinis (8) were all out cheaply as Australia slipped from 56 for two to 88 for six.

Just two days after capturing five for 29 in Adelaide, Haris Rauf returned two for 24 from seven overs in Perth, while Shaheen Afridi (three for 32) and Naseem Shah (three for 54) were also rewarded.

Connolly suffered a painful blow to the left hand from a rising Muhammad Hasnain delivery in the 17th over. The 21-year-old, playing only his second ODI, chopped a single off his next ball before calling for medical attention. Connolly retired with the injury on seven and underwent scans before later returning to Optus Stadium to support his teammates from the bench.

Australia’s batting implosions have been a major talking point in this series and their blistering performance on Sunday will do little to quiet the critics. Fraser-McGurk’s footwork was non-existent as he edged Shah behind. Indecisiveness cost Hardie dearly, with his late attempt to leave a rising Afridi delivery resulting in the ball hitting his bat and flying to second slip.

Stand-in captain Inglis scored just seven runs from his first 18 balls before his attempted pull sailed high into the air and was easily caught. Rauf claimed his first victim of the day when Short pulled him to the deep and Maxwell fell to Rauf for the third time in this series as he squared up and hit an easy catch to backward.

It was left to Abbott, Adam Zampa (13) and Spencer Johnson (12 not out) to add some handy late runs. Australia needed everything to go right to defend their meager total, but not much went their way. Lance Morris dropped a tough catch in the deep while diving forward when Saim was on 16. Zampa dropped Shafique on the boundary for a score of 70 not out.

With Pakistan cruising, the hosts were in danger of losing an ODI by 10 wickets for the first time in Australia. But Morris (two for 24) produced a crisp catch off his own bowling to remove Shafique before sending Saim packing five balls later.