Twitter Reactions: Pakistan fight in vain as Australia triumph in low-scoring thriller

Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. (Source – Getty Images)

Pakistan bowlers put on a spirited show as they had to defend only a 204-run target in the first ODI against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia on Monday, November 4. However, the depth in Australia’s batting bailed them out as the tourists won by two wickets and 16.3 overs to spare.

Mohammad Rizwan lost the toss in his first game as Pakistan’s full-time white-ball skipper before Pat Cummins invited the visitors to bat first. Mitchell Starc dismissed the two opening batters, Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub, in his new-ball spell.

Babar Azam and Rizwan joined forces after Pakistan were reduced to 24/2 inside seven overs. The experienced duo stitched a watchful 39-run partnership off 66 balls to settle the nerves. However, the former captain was bowled by Adazm Zampa for a 44-ball 37 against the run of play. Kamran Ghulam departed in the following over as the tourists slumped to 70/4 in 19 overs.

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Salman Ali Agha gave decent company to Rizwan as the duo added 31 runs off 48 balls for the fifth wicket. However, the former did not look too comfortable with the tricky surface he had to contend with and eventually became Sean Abbott’s only victim in the match for a 29-ball 12.

Cummins introduced Marnus Labuschagne and the part-time leg-spinner accounter for the big wicket of Rizwan, who made a gritty 44 off 71. Debutant Irfan Khan (22 off 35) and Shaheen Afridi (24 off 19) played good hands, adding a fluent 31-run partnership off 30 balls. After Shaheen’s enterprising knock was brought to an end in the 37th over, Naseem Shah added another 28 runs with Irfan for the eighth wicket.

Irfan was run out in the 43rd over and the onus was on Naseem to take Pakistan to a fighting total. The 21-year-old seamer hit one boundary and four sixes during his exhilarating knock of 40 off 39 to take Pakistan beyond the 200-run mark as Rizwan’s side was eventually bowled out for 203.

With the new ball, Shaheen and Naseem dismissed Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, respectively, to give Pakistan just the start they would have envisaged. However, Steve Smith and Josh Inglis combined to aggregate a brilliant 85-run partnership off 75 balls to quash Pakistan’s hopes.

Haris Rauf, introduced into the attack in the 13th over, gave Pakistan something to cheer for after dismissing Smith for a 46-ball 44. Three overs later, Shaheen got the better of Inglis for a 42-ball 49 as the Pakistan supporters found their voices back. Rauf struck twice at the start of the following over as Australia lost three wickets in the space of five balls without adding a run to their score.

At 139/6, Pakistan seamers had their tails up as they steamed in, searching for wickets off every delivery. After Aaron Hardie lost his wicket in the 26th over, Australia needed another 49 runs to win the game. Skipper Cummins walked out to the middle and managed an unbeaten 32 off 31 balls to take his team to victory. He saw teammate Abbott losing his wicket through a run out with another 19 runs left to win. Starc and Cummins didn’t flinch as the experienced pair took their team to a hard-fought victory.

Here’s how ‘X’ reacted to Australia’s win: