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Key events
8th over: Pakistan 37-0 (Saim 16, Abdullah 16) Sean Abbott replaces Stoinis and is hit for ten runs off his first over! Abdullah Shafique showing some good intent by dancing down and driving for a couple and then rocking back to book a short ball that soars away for SIX over the keeper’s head. Australia need wickets, like they didn’t before.
7th over: Pakistan 27-0 (Saim 15, Abdullah 9) Johnson sends down five dots before spearing in a very short ball that flies of Saim’s head and is called a wide. He’ll have to bowl an extra ball… and it costs him! Saim somehow clips off the inner half of his bat over the fielder at square leg and the ball rolls away for four. Streaky but Pakistan won’t mind at all.
6th over: Pakistan 22-0 (Saim 11, Abdullah 9) Stoinis joins the dots and stitches together a maiden. Run rate isn’t a problem for the visitors, they can afford the off frugal over. It’s all about wickets from here.
5th over: Pakistan 22-0 (Saim 11, Abdullah 9) Johnson loses his radar at the start of the fifth over, whangin’ consecutive balls down the leg side for wides. Scrappy doo. Shafique drives for a brace down the ground but then has a complete brain fade and is almost run out! A clip to Stoinis at mid off and the single wasn’t really on, a mid pitch dance and Shafique was gone if the big fella had hit the stumps with the throw. Settle down, settle down.
4th over: Pakistan 17-0 (Saim 11, Abdullah 6) Saim lofts over the ring at midwicket and desrved four, the ball plugging on the unusually slow Perth outfield. Three runs added. Stoinis is worked for singles, all a bit too easy for Pakistan. Time for some pace in the shape of Lance Morris, perhaps?
3rd over: Pakistan 11-0 (Saim 7, Abdullah 4) Johnson nearly pockets Saim Ayub with a beauty that shapes away late, leaving the batter groping at fresh air with the blade. Singles the order of the over, four taken from the over as Pakistan’s openers lay a foundation and chip away.
2nd over: Pakistan 7-0 (Saim 5, Abdullah 2) Marcus Stoinis bustles in for the second over. Torso like an American fridge. Shafique picks up a single down the ground and Saim Ayub clips a poor ball off his hips for an easy four to end the over. The sounds of A-Ha blast through the stadium PA system.
James Wallace
Thanks Martin and hello all. A rousing Pakistan series victory on Australian soil coming from behind you say? I don’t mind it, but will it be straightforward? Don’t count on it.
1st over: Pakistan 2-0 (Saim 1, Abdullah 1) A promising start from Spencer Johnson as the left-armer has the ball angling back into the Pakistan openers. Saim Ayub swipes at a wider ball and is fortunate to have missed completely. Abdullah Shafique then fails to punish the one loose ball of the over, as he picks out fine leg for a single.
Australia are into a huddle with captain Josh Inglis trying to fire up the troops in his national captaincy debut. The young squad has some weapons, with Lance Morris able to shake up any top order, left-armer Spencer Johnson just as quick, and Sean Abbott one of the craftier cricketers going around. The white-ball spin wizard Adam Zampa will test the Pakistan middle order if given the opportunity though we’re yet to see how this pitch will spin.
Spencer Johnson takes the new ball and will bowl around the wicket and I’ll now hand you over to James Wallace to steer you through the second dig.
While we wait for the second innings to start just a cheeky reminder that Australia have named their squad to face India in the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
The hosts could probably have done with that entire squad showing up in Perth for this ODI series decider against Pakistan, but we instead have Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne sitting out this third match after being part of games one and two. Travis Head and Mitch Marsh have skipped all of this series while on paternity leave.
Australia all out for 140
Australia have set a new, unwanted record for their lowest ODI total against Pakistan, just two days after laying down the previous marker, as Shaheen takes out Lance Morris’s off-stump. You couldn’t expect the No 11 to do too much with that one.
There is plenty of bounce and movement out of the pitch but it would be unfair to take anything away from the Pakistan pace attack that frankly outclassed Australia’s undermanned batting lineup.
All four of the Pakistan quicks ran riot with Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-32) surviving an injury scare late in the innings, while Haris Rauf (2-24) again shook up the Australians and dismissed his newfound bunny Glenn Maxwell for the third time in the series. Naseem Shah (3-54) and Mohammad Hasnain (1-24) also played their part as Pakistan did not even have to call on a part-timer as their fifth bowler, a punt that has paid off in two matches now.
Sean Abbott (30) top scored for Australia as the all-rounder tried to set up a defendable total, after Matt Short (22) playing a more mature knock than we’re used to from him even as wickets fell with worrying regularity. Cooper Connolly was forced to retire hurt after copping a heavy blow to the hand and while any runs would be useful now there is little to suggest this is a wicket worthy of such a meagre score.
WICKET! Abbott c Rauf b Shaheen 30 (Australia 140-8)
Abbott looks to get on the attack but is through his shot too early and pops a slower ball from Shaheen straight to Rauf at mid-on. Rauf isn’t going to spill that with the form he is in whenever he’s near the ball. With Connolly out of action after taking a blow to his hand while batting, Australia are down to their last stand.
31st over: Australia 140-7 (Abbott 30, Johnson 12) SIX! Abbott looks to take matters into his own hands as he refuses an easy single off the first delivery of the over then two balls later bangs the first six of the innings. Abbott backs away and smacks the short high over midwicket, just long enough to fall out of reach of Abdullah Shafique on the boundary.
30th over: Australia 133-7 (Abbott 23, Johnson 12) Rauf has dominated this series with some fiery bowling but Johnson shows him little respect with a pair of sensational boundaries. The first comes from Johnson using the angle of the ball to deflect it through gully, the next is smacked in front of the wicket. Rauf responds with a shorter, quicker ball that Johnson does well to keep down perhaps with more glove than bat.
29th over: Australia 125-7 (Abbott 23, Johnson 4) Johnson punches Naseem through point for three runs then Abbott clips him over mid-on for a couple more. The all-rounder becomes Australia’s top scorer in the innings and has looked the most comfortable too.
28th over: Australia 120-7 (Abbott 21, Johnson 1) Haris Rauf is back and Australia might be looking to simply survive for as many balls as possible. Abbott immediately shows faith in his new partner as he scampers through for a risky single. A direct hit would have had Johnson heading back to the pavilion but the fielder holds onto the ball with no one backing up the throw to the keeper’s end.
27th over: Australia 118-7 (Abbott 20, Johnson 0) Abbott punishes a loose delivery from Naseem then survives a cracker that was angling away from the right-hander before jagging back into him off the seam. Zampa gives himself room to cut but doesn’t go hard enough as the ball flies straight to Saim Ayub at gully.
WICKET! Zampa c Saim Ayub b Naseem 13 (Australia 118-7)
Zampa was showing positive signs but a limp cut shot goes straight to Saim Ayub in the gully. It was a strange shot after the Australian had been looking to attack more but ends up with a very soft dismissal.
26th over: Australia 113-6 (Abbott 15, Zampa 13) Shaheen sends a scare through the Pakistan camp as he claims a throw in but then is cramped down on the ground with concern over his critical left hand. The fast bowler’s thumb looks to have popped out and Babar steps in to put it back into place. Drinks are taken while Pakistan sort it out with a healthy dose of the “magic spray”. Shaheen returns to bowl out the remaining three balls in the over, digs in a bouncer of the last delivery that is called a wide. Zampa swings wildly at the follow up but his head is up and he misses by a fair margin.
25th over: Australia 111-6 (Abbott 14, Zampa 13) The experience duo keep the score ticking over with easy singles. Now is not the time for any further risk with half the overs still in hand and Pakistan yet to turn to their fifth bowler.
24th over: Australia 107-6 (Abbott 12, Zampa 11) Sean Abbott shows his top order how it’s done as be hoicks a pull shot through midwicket for a powerful boundary along the grass. That’s the best shot we’ve seen from an Australian for quite some time. Shaheen pitches it up for the rest of the over but Abbott has it under control.
23rd over: Australia 101-6 (Abbott 7, Zampa 10) Australia bring up the 100 as they look to set a defendable target. 150 might be enough on this bouncy deck. Zampa slashes hard at a wide ball and immediately spins around as it takes an edge but is fortunate enough to see it sail high over slip for four.
22nd over: Australia 94-6 (Abbott 6, Zampa 5) Shaheen comes back into the attack as Pakistan look to finish off Australia. Abbott pulls a loosener away for a single but Zampa is on the attack to find three runs over cover.
21st over: Australia 90-6 (Abbott 5, Zampa 2) Hasnain gets the better of Stoinis and Pakistan are into Australia’s tail well before the halfway mark of the innings. Australia’s score of 163 – their lowest ever in ODIs between these two teams – seems a long way off.
WICKET! Stoinis c Rizwan b Hasnain 8 (Australia 88-6)
Stoinis tries to play over a ball travelling just outside off but is cramped up after it finds the seam. An edge takes it through to Rizwan for yet another catch and Hasnain has his first of the day. The young pacer has been playing his part superbly and deserved to get it on the action.
20th over: Australia 87-5 (Stoinis 8, Abbott 4) Stoinis has his head down and sees off a tamer over from Rauf. It’s a maiden.
19th over: Australia 87-5 (Stoinis 8, Abbott 4) Hasnain keeps the foot on the throttle with another tidy over. Abbott picks up a couple on the with a neat prod through the offside.
Word out of the Australia camp is that Cooper Connolly has been taken for scans on his left hand after being struck while batting. At this stage it is possible Connolly won’t return to the crease or field in the second innings.
18th over: Australia 81-5 (Stoinis 6, Abbott 1) Rauf has his bunny and Pakistan are in dreamland with Australia effectively six down inside 20 overs. Sean Abbott is no slouch with the bat, and has a couple of half-centuries in his 25 ODIs, and Australia really need this partnership to carry through to the fifth bowler in search of a defendable total.
WICKET! Maxwell c Saim Ayub b Rauf 0 (Australia 79-5)
Haris Rauf once again picks up the key wicket of Glenn Maxwell as Australia are on the brink of collapse. Maxwell looks to guide a short ball away but a leading edge pops it straight to Saim Ayub at point. Rauf now has Maxwell three times from the nine balls he has bowled to the Australian dangerman in the series.
17th over: Australia 79-4 (Stoinis 5, Maxwell 0) RETIRED HURT! Things go from bad to worse for Australia as Cooper Connolly is struck on the left hand while trying to pull Hasnain and is forced from the field. That looked to hit him flush on the knuckle, the batter takes time to remove the gloves but is clearly in pain and can’t carry on as he retires hurt on seven. That brings an out-of-sorts Glenn Maxwell to the crease and he needs runs as much as his team do right now.
16th over: Australia 78-4 (Connolly 6, Stoinis 5) Stoinis is living on the edge as he dabs a bat out at a wider ball from Rauf that fortunately for Australia is quite far away from the edge. Not sure the all-rounder knew much about that one. Stoinis looks more in control later in the over as he slices a cut shot over a fielder at point and it takes two bounces to the boundary. Rauf responds with a quicker ball that beats Stoinis for pace.
15th over: Australia 74-4 (Connolly 6, Stoinis 1) Connolly flicks a single away and Hasnain goes to work on Stoinis. The Australian all-rounder is in no hurry with his side already four down as he leaves the wider balls sail by and defends stoutly when needed.
14th over: Australia 72-4 (Connolly 6, Stoinis 0) Short and Connolly look as comfortable against Rauf as any Australians have in this series as they each pick up three runs. That’s at least until the opener directs a pull shot straight to Irfan Khan in the deep. Rauf pitched that one a bit closer to Short but he still looked to have it under control, other than mis-directing the pull shot. Rauf has his ninth scalp for the series, and that’s drinks!
WICKET! Short c Irfan b Rauf 22 (Australia 72-4)
Short has started picking up runs with controlled pull shots but smacks a shorter ball from Haris Rauf straight to Irfan Khan at deep square leg. It’s like catching practice for the Pakistan fielder as he cups the catch with ease. The opener was showing signs of building a mature innings into a big score but is on his way as Rauf again dismantles the hosts.
13th over: Australia 65-3 (Short 19, Connolly 2) Naseem loses his line and perhaps needs a break after bowling three wides in the over. Short pulls one away neatly for to square leg for a couple and is building steadily even while others fall around him.
12th over: Australia 59-3 (Short 17, Connolly 1) Pakistan dangerman Haris Rauf comes into the attack with Australia on the ropes. Rauf already has eight wickets in the series but makes little headway with his first over as Connolly and Short each pick up a single without too much trouble.
11th over: Australia 57-3 (Short 17, Connolly 1) Pakistan swing Naseem to the opposite end for an extra over and the gamble pays off as the pacer picks up the key scalp of the in-form Inglis. That one came from nowhere as the batting pair were playing cautiously, trying to rebuild the innings. The Australian captain couldn’t help but swing at a shorter ball passing just outside off and the steady stream of wickets keeps flowing. Cooper Connolly gets the call up early, as Australia look to save their powerhitters Stoinis and Maxwell for later.
WICKET! Inglis c Rizwan b Naseem 7 (Australia 56-3)
Josh Inglis gets on the back foot as Naseem digs one in short of a length but Australia’s skipper can’t keep the pull shot down and a top edge sails skyward. Rizwan barely has to move as it drops into his gloves and Pakistan are back on top.
10th over: Australia 54-2 (Short 16, Inglis 7) Mohammad Hasnain comes into the attack and the subtle drop in pace takes the pressure off the Australians. Short twice tries to pull, mis-timing the first and completely missing the second as it crashes off his helmet and towards the boundary for four leg byes.
9th over: Australia 48-2 (Short 15, Inglis 7) Another sensational over from Shaheen but this time it goes without reward. Short turns over the strike with a mis-timed pull for a single, then Inglis passes the test as he chooses wisely when to leave or play the ball. Shaheen still beats him with back-to-back beauties angling across the right-hander. That was a joy to watch!
8th over: Australia 47-2 (Short 14, Inglis 7) Inglis gets going with a powerful straight drive through mid-on for four, then flicks off his pads but can only get an inside edge for a couple more. Naseem fights back with some deliveries back of a length but Australia’s captain is taking no risks for now.
7th over: Australia 41-2 (Short 14, Inglis 1) Australia have the run rate ticking over nicely but once again are the victims of some clever bowling from Pakistan’s quicks. Shaheen worked on Hardie across a couple of overs and deserved an early scalp, though there is plenty in this pitch for the pacers. Inglis comes to the crease with his side needing a captain’s knock (no pressure, skip), finds a single and Short finishes the over with a punishing drive for four.
WICKET! Hardie c Agha Salman b Shaheen 12 (Australia 36-2)
Shaheen has been shaping the ball back into Hardie but gets this one to move away off the seam. Hardie picks up the movement late, thinks about shouldering arms but a deflection while trying to keep his bat out of the way nicks off to first slip.
6th over: Australia 36-1 (Short 10, Hardie 12) The most prosperous over for Australia so far as Short punches away a shorter ball for three past point, then Hardie follows up with back-to-back boundaries. Naseem is getting the ball to swing away from the right-hander, but Hardie works it nicely for valuable runs.
5th over: Australia 22-1 (Short 7, Hardie 1) A superb over from Shaheen but Hardie somehow holds out the Pakistan quick. The biggest shout was for lbw as Shaheen brings the fourth ball back into the right-hander and it brushes past his pads. Pakistan ponder a review but Rizwan is a split second too slow and his belated request is waved away – fortunately for the tourists as replays show the ball was clearing middle and leg. It feels like even the little things are going Pakistan’s way at the moment. Maiden over!
4th over: Australia 22-1 (Short 7, Hardie 1) Australia’s opening pair once again fail to make the most of a decent start with Naseem sending Fraser-McGurk back to the sheds. The young gun was looking to drive on the up with his head and feet stationary he could only find an edge. Naseem has a spring in his step and tests Aaron Hardie from the get go. The Pakistan pacer has quickly settled into the bouncy Optus Stadium pitch.
WICKET! Fraser-McGurk c Rizwan b Naseem 7 (Australia 20-1)
Naseem gets the breakthrough as Fraser-McGurk plays too far away from his body and gets a thick edge. There was hardy any foot movement from the young Australian and he falls cheaply for the third time in the series.
3rd over: Australia 20-0 (Short 7, Fraser-McGurk 7) Left-armer Shaheen is bowling around the wicket and has the ball shaping away nicely from Short. The opener pushes a straighter, fuller delivery to mid-off for a couple. A neat over but Australia’s opening pair survive past the third over for the first time in the series.
2nd over: Australia 18-0 (Short 5, Fraser-McGurk 7) Naseem Shah almost gets a breakthrough from just his second delivery as Fraser-McGurk edges between second and third slip. That one reared up at the Australian opener and he was fortunate the nick was as thick as it was, but will gladly pocket the four runs as well. JFM works a couple off his pads then survives a half-hearted appeal for run out to round out the over.
1st over: Australia 12-0 (Short 5, Fraser-McGurk 1) A loose first over from Shaheen Shah Afridi allows the Australian pair to get on the front foot as Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk each get off the mark with a quick single. A wild delivery sails between first and second slip all the way to the boundary for five wides, Shah sends another wide heading to first slip, and Short finishes the over with four all-run off a sublime drive. Just the start Australia needed.
The national anthems are sung, the Australian openers are at the crease, and Shaheen Shah Afridi is steaming in with ball in hand. Game on!
Teams
As confirmed earlier, Australia have shaken up their XI with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne sitting this one out. Josh Inglis will lead a national side for the first time and do so in front of his home crowd.
Pakistan are unchanged and why would they mix things up with the series on the line after a dominant display with bat and ball in the second ODI on Friday night.
Australia XI: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis (c, wk), Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Lance Morris
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan (c, wk), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain
Pakistan win the toss and choose to field
Mohammad Rizwan wins the coin flip after some debate over whether he called heads or tails and, just as he did on Friday, sends Australia in to bat first at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Josh Inglis is captaining Australia for the first time and says his side “probably would’ve bowled first as well”. Could have been a little more decisive there.
Back to the white-ball game but in a distant land, England have bounced back from their ODI series defeat to West Indies to win the opening T20I in the Caribbean. A Phil Salt onslaught sealed the deal on what was once his home ground:
With one eye already on the blockbuster Test series against India that starts in Perth on 22 November, Australia have named their first squad. Nathan McSweeney has won the Great Australian bat off and will open alongside Usman Khawaja while there is a curious choice for back up batter. Full squad here:
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to the third and final ODI between Australia and Pakistan at Optus Stadium in Perth.
The one-day international series comes down to this after Pakistan stunned Australia with a resounding nine-wicket victory at Adelaide Oval on Friday. The tourists could now break a 22-year drought as well as lay down a marker ahead of a Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan (at least at this stage).
Pakistan skittled Australia for their lowest total in 50-over matches between the teams, then chased down the target of 164 with ease to seal their first win over Australia in the format since 2017. On the other hand, it was Australia’s first nine-wicket defeat on home soil since 1992.
The tourists now have a gilt-edged opportunity to triumph in an ODI series in Australia for the first time since 2002 as the hosts take an undermanned XI into the decider. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne will all sit out this ODI and have not even made the trip to Perth as they start to prepare for the five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy series against India. Priorities, hey!
Can the next generation take command of the Australia side and claim a stirring series victory? I guess we’re about to find out. I’ll be with you until the innings break when James Wallace will take the reins. First ball is at 11.30am AWST / 2.30pm AEDT. I’ll be back shortly with the line-ups and toss news.
Remember to get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions. You can find me on X @martinpegan or shoot me an email. Let’s get into it!