Pakistan humiliate Australia to square ODI series with nine-wicket rout | Cricket

World champions Australia have been embarrassed by Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval, suffering one of the heaviest defeats in their ODI history.

After posting just 163, Australia were then punished in the field by Pakistan openers Saim Ayub (82) and Abdullah Shafique (64 not out) as the tourists cruised to a nine-wicket win in the second ODI with 141 balls to spare. It is the first time since 1992 that Australia have lost a home ODI by nine wickets. They avoided becoming the first Australian team to lose a white-ball match at home by 10 wickets as Adam Zampa completed the opening stand with 137 runs.

Pakistan’s stunning triumph gives them a huge opportunity to clinch the three-match series, with Test stars Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne sitting out for Sunday’s decider in Perth. These five will not make the trip so that they can prepare for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against India. Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, who will captain Australia for the first time in Cummins’ absence, Glenn Maxwell and Zampa will be the only members of last year’s World Cup final to play at Optus Stadium.

Pakistan’s first ODI win against Australia at Adelaide since 1996 was set up by blistering quick Haris Rauf who tore apart the middle order. Rauf, who has been a popular figure in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars since 2020, picked up where he left off at the MCG when Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bowl.

The 31-year-old gave Pakistan a chance of a shock win on Monday with three 67s before Cummins steered Australia home by two wickets. But Rauf (five for 29) went to another level in Adelaide with his second five-wicket haul in ODIs, dismissing Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie and Glenn Maxwell as Australia collapsed from 79 for two to 129 for seven.

The fiery right-armer also claimed the scalp of Cummins to end any chance Australia had of posting a competitive total. Rauf finished with the best ODI figures by a Pakistani bowler at the Adelaide Oval, impressing the legendary Wasim Akram in the commentary box.

Australia should have been all out for 147 but wicketkeeper Rizwan spilled a ski ball from Zampa. He put up a lightning-quick 18, and even got Rizwan, unsuccessfully, to use a review, saying: “You guys appeal to everything. You should take (the review).” Smith finished as Australia’s top scorer with 35 as their innings ended in the 35th over.

Openers Matt Short (19) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (13) failed to silence critics of their cavalier batting. Australian great Ian Healy had called the pair “schoolyard bullies” and urged them to tone down their aggression. On Thursday, Fraser-McGurk said he would continue to fight.