Smith ton makes Pakistan pay for mistakes
Australian skipper and Handscomb put on 183 for the third wicket to guide team to a convincing win
Australia capitalised on Pakistan’s errors to win the One Day International in Perth yesterday by seven wickets, with skipper Steven Smith scoring a century.
Pakistan made 263 for seven after being sent to bat, having looked set to post a much bigger score at several stages. But the home side replied with 265 for three, winning with 30 balls to spare.
After paceman Josh Hazlewood applied the brakes to a promising Pakistan innings with three wickets, skipper Smith and ODI debutant Peter Handscomb put on 183 for the third wicket in the chase to set their team on the path to victory.
Australia lead the five-match series 2-1.
Pakistan had chances to seize control of the match, but paid the price for basic errors.
When they claimed openers David Warner (35) and Usman Khawaja (9) in five balls they had Australia wobbling at 45 for two.
One run later Handscomb was on his way back to the pavilion for a duck on debut, caught at first slip from the bowling of Junaid Khan.
Australia should have been 46 for three, but Handscomb was recalled to the centre due to a front foot no-ball.
To make matters worse, Handscomb had another life on 10 when a simple catch was dropped at point, with Junaid again the aggrieved bowler.
It proved to be Pakistan’s undoing. Handscomb eventually fell for 82 from 84 balls, but the game was safely in Australia’s hands by then.
Smith brought up his eighth ODI century by pulling the 97th ball he faced to the midwicket boundary and finished unbeaten on 108.
Earlier in the day, Hazlewood reined the visitors in after they made a flying start, picking up 3-32 from his 10 overs.
He claimed the vital wickets of Babar Azam, who top-scored with 84 from 100 balls, Umar Akmal (39) and opener Mohammad Hafeez (4).
Babar played beautifully and appeared set to add another century to his blossoming career, before he was brilliantly caught by Handscomb.
Pakistan
M. Hafeez lbw Hazlewood 4 Sharjeel Khan b Head 50 B. Azam c Handscomb b Hazlewood 84 Asad Shafiq c Khawaja b Head 5 Shoaib Malik c Wade b Stanlake 39 Umar Akmal c Wade b Hazlewood 39 Imad Wasim c Head b Cummins 9 Mohammad Rizwan not out 14 Mohammad Amir not out 4
(lb7, w8) 15 (for 7 wickets, 50 overs) 263
1-36 (Hafeez), 2-85 (Sharjeel), 3-99 (Shafiq), 4-162 (Malik), 5-222 (Babar), 6-244 (Umar), 7-246 (Wasim)
Extras: Total: Fall of wickets: Bowling:
Hazlewood 10-0-32-3 (3w), Stanlake 10-1-55-1 (2w), Cummins 10-1-42-1 (2w), Head 10-0-65-2, Faulkner 10-0-62-0
Australia
D. Warner c Rizwan b Junaid 35 U. Khawaja c Rizwan b Amir 9 S. Smith not out 108 P. Handscomb c Rizwan b Ali 82 T. Head not out 23
(b1, lb1, w5, nb1) 8 (three wickets, 45 overs) 265
1-44 (Warner), 2-45 (Khawaja), 3-228 (Handscomb)
Hafeez 6-1-30-0 (1w), Amir 10-0-36-1 (1w), Junaid 9-0-58-1 (1nb), Ali 10-0-62-1, Wasim 8-0-59-0 (3w), Malik 2-0-18-0
Extras: Total: Fall of wickets:
Bowling:
In his 21st innings, the Pakistani number three equalled the record held by four other players for being quickest to 1,000 runs before falling to Hazlewood.