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Aus beat Pak, clinch ODI series 2-1
Glenn Maxwell smashed an unbeaten 56 from 38 balls and Mike Hussey hit 65 as Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets in game three to clinch the limited-overs international series 2-1.
The match, which began late Monday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, consigned Pakistan to a third straight ODI series defeat this year after earlier losses to England and Sri Lanka. It was also Australia’s third successive series win over Pakistan and will help Michael Clarke’s team as it works its way back up the rankings after losing its No. 1 spot with a lopsided defeat to England earlier in the year.
After Mitchell Starc claimed 4-51 and Mitchell Johnson took 2-33 to help restrict Pakistan to 244-7, Australia made an encouraging start when opener David Warner (21) and David Hussey combined for 44 runs.
Clarke scored 32 before being stumped by Kamran Akmal off Saeed Ajmal (3-37) and David Hussey was caught by Abdur Rehman off Ajmal for 43, leaving Australia at 108-4 nearly halfway through its innings.
Mike Hussey, whose late-innings heroics helped Australia beat Pakistan in the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup semifinals, got the chase back on track as he paired with Matthew Wade (22) and Maxwell for half-century partnerships. Maxwell proved to be the difference after Hussey was bowled by Junaid Khan (2-42), hitting many of his boundaries in the last two overs to clinch the victory for Australia.
Ajmal and Rehman (2-41) had no answer to Maxwell and couldn’t make a breakthrough when it counted at the end. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said the series defeat shows his team has plenty of shortcomings, especially its recent history of batting collapses during the power play.
Australia elected to bowl after winning the toss, hoping to avoid moist conditions later in the night that contributed to its seven-wicket loss on Friday.
Mohammed Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed responded by posting an opening century partnership, giving the thousands of Pakistan fans in the crowd some hope of an ODI series win over Australia for the first time since 2002. Hafeez smashed 78 and Jamshed reached 48 in the 129-run stand — Pakistan’s second highest for the first wicket against Australia. Hafeez struck four boundaries and two sixes, while Jamshed cracked six boundaries.
Misbah and Azhar Ali shared a 35-run partnership, but Australia’s bowlers combined to keep Pakistan’s total within reach. Starc, who took five wickets in Australia’s opening win in the series, collected two wickets in the 38th over to slow the Pakistan scoring.
Brief Scores: Pak: 244/7 (Hafeez 78, Jamshed 48; Starc 4/51) lost to Aus: 250/7 (Hussey 65, Maxwell 56 no; Ajmal 3/37) by 3 wickets.
Glenn Maxwell smashed an unbeaten 56 from 38 balls and Mike Hussey hit 65 as Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets in game three to clinch the limited-overs international series 2-1.
The match, which began late Monday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, consigned Pakistan to a third straight ODI series defeat this year after earlier losses to England and Sri Lanka. It was also Australia’s third successive series win over Pakistan and will help Michael Clarke’s team as it works its way back up the rankings after losing its No. 1 spot with a lopsided defeat to England earlier in the year.
After Mitchell Starc claimed 4-51 and Mitchell Johnson took 2-33 to help restrict Pakistan to 244-7, Australia made an encouraging start when opener David Warner (21) and David Hussey combined for 44 runs.
Clarke scored 32 before being stumped by Kamran Akmal off Saeed Ajmal (3-37) and David Hussey was caught by Abdur Rehman off Ajmal for 43, leaving Australia at 108-4 nearly halfway through its innings.
Mike Hussey, whose late-innings heroics helped Australia beat Pakistan in the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup semifinals, got the chase back on track as he paired with Matthew Wade (22) and Maxwell for half-century partnerships. Maxwell proved to be the difference after Hussey was bowled by Junaid Khan (2-42), hitting many of his boundaries in the last two overs to clinch the victory for Australia.
Ajmal and Rehman (2-41) had no answer to Maxwell and couldn’t make a breakthrough when it counted at the end. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said the series defeat shows his team has plenty of shortcomings, especially its recent history of batting collapses during the power play.
Australia elected to bowl after winning the toss, hoping to avoid moist conditions later in the night that contributed to its seven-wicket loss on Friday.
Mohammed Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed responded by posting an opening century partnership, giving the thousands of Pakistan fans in the crowd some hope of an ODI series win over Australia for the first time since 2002. Hafeez smashed 78 and Jamshed reached 48 in the 129-run stand — Pakistan’s second highest for the first wicket against Australia. Hafeez struck four boundaries and two sixes, while Jamshed cracked six boundaries.
Misbah and Azhar Ali shared a 35-run partnership, but Australia’s bowlers combined to keep Pakistan’s total within reach. Starc, who took five wickets in Australia’s opening win in the series, collected two wickets in the 38th over to slow the Pakistan scoring.
Brief Scores: Pak: 244/7 (Hafeez 78, Jamshed 48; Starc 4/51) lost to Aus: 250/7 (Hussey 65, Maxwell 56 no; Ajmal 3/37) by 3 wickets.
