AUS vs PAK – 1st ODI – Pakistan experience MCG deja-vu

November 4, 2024

in Cricket

Reading Time: 3 mins read

Within the final evaluation of Australia’s whole domination of Pakistan at house, Monday’s opening ODI shall be a mere footnote, an extension of a seemingly unchangeable development. Australia have now gained 27 of the final 28 accomplished video games throughout codecs in opposition to Pakistan at house, the newest a victory on the MCG with 99 balls to spare.

That may, nevertheless, do a significant disservice to a Pakistan fightback that was as sudden because it was surprising. With Australia on high all through the sport, and having raced to 139 for 3 within the twentieth over in pursuit of a below-par 204, this appeared about as routine an ODI win because it may get. However Shaheen Shah Afridi had Josh Inglis gap out within the deep to carry a brand new man in, and Haris Rauf bowled the subsequent over – the fifth of his spell.

Rauf nonetheless had the tempo to attract further bounce on a floor that stayed true all through, with Marnus Labuschagne’s forefront carrying all the way in which to 3rd man. The next supply drew Glenn Maxwell right into a tentative prod first up, the ball kissing the sting on its speedy journey by to Mohammad Rizwan. Australia had misplaced three wickets for no runs, in 5 balls, and Pakistan have been again and looking out favourites in a rustic the place they’ve had minimal success.

“We have been all making an attempt our greatest, whether or not within the subject or with the ball,” Rauf stated after the sport. “We had a plan to bowl brief from my finish. We had success; we took just a few wickets this fashion.”

Ultimately, Australia’s stranglehold over Pakistan proved exhausting to shake off. The guests did take one other couple of wickets and expose the tail, however Pat Cummins – as he has achieved so typically up to now – held his nerve and ensured he was there to hit the profitable runs and seal a two-wicket win.

Rauf rued a few of Pakistan’s sloppiness. They gave away 21 extras; Australia had conceded simply 4. Rauf himself despatched a large up to now down leg and at such excessive tempo it raced away 4 an additional 4, whereas Naseem Shah bowled one other 5. Mohammad Hasnain, in the meantime, despatched two wides properly over the batter’s head in the identical over he took Australia’s seventh wicket, and the stress instantly shifted again onto the guests.

“We did give away extras however whenever you assault, you must settle for that these items occur,” Rauf stated. “We did make errors, and we have been a bit untidy. We all know these little issues make an impression. If you happen to’re a very good bowling unit, then you possibly can cowl the batters falling 20-30 runs brief should you tighten up within the subject as properly. We may have defended this and all of us tried actually exhausting. The sport did not go our method, however we gave no quarter when it comes to our vitality and our effort.”

Falling agonisingly brief on the MCG has been a Pakistan theme of late. It was Rauf’s penultimate over to Virat Kohli within the T20 World Cup 2022 that turned the tide of a contest Pakistan had dominated as much as then, with India sneaking a last-ball win. Three weeks later, an damage to Shaheen noticed Pakistan’s momentum slip away in a nail-biting T20 World Cup ultimate.

“We have now reminiscences on this floor which we keep in mind. We misplaced a few very shut matches right here in opposition to India and the World Cup ultimate,” Rauf stated. “We have made errors up to now, however we attempt to keep within the current second. The longer term is not in our management both, and we’re having fun with the current. Generally the consequence would not go your method, and you must settle for that. And also you then attempt to be taught from these failures.”

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