Sports

IIE DIGITAL DESK ;  June 5: Pakistan secured a hard-fought ODI series victory against Australia after defeating them by 4 wickets in the final match played on Thursday night in Lahore. On a spin-friendly pitch, Pakistan delivered a disciplined bowling and composed batting performance to clinch the three-match series 2–1 in front of their home crowd.

Australia opted to bat first but struggled to build momentum against Pakistan’s tight bowling attack. Stand-in captain Josh Inglis played a fighting knock of 65 runs off 71 balls, but he found little support from the rest of the batting lineup. Pakistan’s bowlers, including Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Afridi, maintained consistent pressure and restricted the visitors throughout the innings. Australia were eventually bowled out for just 157 runs. Shaheen Afridi was the standout performer with figures of 3 wickets for 30 runs, earning him the Man of the Match award.

Chasing a modest target, Pakistan also faced unexpected resistance as they lost wickets at regular intervals. At one stage, the hosts were in trouble at 112 for 6, putting the match in a tense situation. Opener Madsadakat contributed 27 runs, while Babar Azam played a slow and steady innings of 40 runs, trying to stabilize the chase.

Shadab Khan and Abdul Samad took responsibility and guided Pakistan towards victory. The pair built an unbeaten 49-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which ultimately proved decisive in the chase. Shadab remained unbeaten on 29 off 42 balls, while Samad finished not out on 18 off 30 balls, ensuring Pakistan crossed the target with wickets in hand.

Pakistan clinched the ODI series 2–1 at home, marking a strong performance led by Shaheen Afridi’s team and highlighting their ability to handle pressure in crucial moments.