Rauf, Ayub hand Pakistan first ODI win in Australia since 2017

Cricket

Australia 163 (Smith 35, Rauf 5-29, Afridi 3-26) vs Pakistan

Haris Rauf caused Australia a whole heap of problems once again with a fiery 5 for 29 as they were skittled for 163 in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval to give Pakistan a terrific chance of leveling the series.
Rauf ran through the hosts’ middle order – his delivery to remove Marnus Labuschagne was particularly superb – to finish with the second five-wicket haul of his ODI career. Four of Rauf’s wickets came with the help of catches by captain Mohammad Rizwan who equaled the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in an ODI (six) although a late dropped chance meant the standalone record slipped through his fingers.

Steven Smith’s 35 was the top score in a poor batting display on a pitch that had a good covering of grass but didn’t warrant such a collapse. By the end of it, Rauf had figures of 17-0-96-8 across two innings, his pace continuing to cause uncertainty in the footwork of a number of Australia’s batters.

Australia’s new-look opening pair was again unconvincing. Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk had come in for criticism after the first ODI with Ian Healy terming them “schoolyard bullies” in the way they approached the game. Each had the chance to defend their style in the lead-up to Adelaide, talking of the backing they have from the coaches to be ultra-aggressive, but they were in the pavilion inside seven overs.

The initial signs from Fraser-McGurk had been promising in the second over when he cracked three boundaries, including one particularly eye-catching back-foot cover drive, but he was pinned lbw by Shaheen Shah Afridi as he looked to drive a full delivery.

Short should have fallen on 8 when Shaheen spilt a comfortable catch on the deep square-leg rope, but it wasn’t overly costly for Pakistan. Shaheen had a touch of fortune in making amends when Short cut a wide delivery to cover where Babar Azam held a sharp catch.

Australia’s early tempo continued to be brisk as Smith again looked in good touch, including a pulled six off Mohammad Hasnain, although he was fortunate to escape on 14 when a cut shot against Rauf burst through the hands of Saim Ayub at point.

Rauf, though, wasn’t to be denied for long. His first wicket wasn’t a classic as Josh Inglis got a glove on a pull down the leg side, but after that he was very classy. Labuschagne received a perfect Test-like delivery which straightened from around off stump, forced him to play, and took the edge to Rizwan.

Aaron Hardie fell in similar fashion although he was playing forward to a fuller delivery and the last of Australia’s frontline batters departed when Glenn Maxwell, after one reverse sweep for six off Ayub, dragged on an attempted pull.

Between Rauf’s incisions, Hasnain claimed the key wicket of Smith who he was confident had been out the ball before he departed. Smith shuffled across his crease and was mighty close to being lbw – the DRS showing it to be umpire’s call while hitting a decent chunk of leg stump – but next ball Smith got a top edge slashing at a short, wide delivery.

Naseem Shah claimed his first wicket when he found Mitchell Starc’s outside edge and Rauf’s fifth arrived with a top edge from Pat Cummins. Australia should have been bowled out for 147 but Rizwan dropped a top edge offered by Adam Zampa who then managed just the second six of his ODI career before falling to Shaheen.

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