November 8, 2024: Pakistan’s performance in the second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval was a remarkable turnaround after their loss in the first match. Riding on the back of a stellar five-wicket haul by Haris Rauf, they restricted Australia to a meager total of 163, with 15 overs remaining.
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The decision to bowl first after winning the toss seemed to be a masterstroke for Pakistan, as their bowlers dominated the Australian batting line-up.
Haris Rauf was the standout bowler, claiming 5 wickets for just 29 runs in his 8 overs, providing Pakistan with a significant breakthrough at regular intervals.
Shaheen Afridi, who had been struggling for form recently, showed signs of his old self by picking up 3 wickets for 34 runs in his 8-over spell. Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah also contributed with one wicket each, further tightening Pakistan’s grip on the match.
Australia’s top order struggled to build partnerships, with Matthew Short (19) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (13) failing to get the innings off to a solid start. Steven Smith was the only notable contributor with 35 runs, but apart from him, none of the Australian batsmen managed to cross 20 runs. Glenn Maxwell (16) and Marnus Labuschagne (6) were among the players who fell cheaply, as Australia’s batting collapsed under pressure. Even Adam Zampa’s late resistance with 18 runs couldn’t salvage the innings, and Australia was all out for 163.
For Pakistan, Mohammad Rizwan, who made his debut as captain, could take solace in his team’s strong performance with the ball. Despite a tough debut with the captaincy in the first ODI, Rizwan appeared to have rallied his team well for this match. The Pakistan bowlers showed discipline and skill, and they will be feeling confident heading into their chase of 164 to level the series.
Pakistan’s batting, however, will have to be cautious in the second innings. While 164 is a modest target, the team will need to stay focused and not let the pressure of chasing a small target cause unnecessary mistakes. Given the way their bowlers dominated, though, Pakistan will be favorites to chase down the target and level the series, provided they can maintain their composure in the chase.
