Skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq on Thursday smashed brilliant centuries to help Pakistan pull off their highest one-day international run chase in a six-wicket triumph over Australia in Lahore.
Azam hit an 83-ball 114 and Haq notched a 97-ball 106 as Pakistan chased down a stiff target of 349 with six balls to spare to level the three-match series at 1-1.
Ben McDermott cracked a maiden one-day international century in Australia’s imposing total of 348-8 on a flat pitch.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The victory is Pakistan’s first over Australia since Melbourne in January 2017. In between, they had lost 10 consecutive one-day internationals.
“We spoke positively during the break. It’s a proud moment to win at my home ground,” said Azam, who is the fastest man to reach 15 one-day international tons in 83 innings, three quicker than Hashim Amla of South Africa.
Australia skipper Aaron Finch hailed the Pakistan skipper as “unbelievable.”
“When you’re 100 without loss, it allows others to play freely and Babar came in and played an unbelievable knock. I thought 348 was a good score, but not to be,” Finch said.
Pakistan’s win sets up an intriguing final match at the same venue today. Australia won the first match by 88 runs on Tuesday, also in Lahore.
Haq, who hit six fours and three sixes, put on a robust 118-run opening stand with Fakhar Zaman (67) off 111 balls to set the platform for the chase.
Zaman smashed seven fours and two sixes during his 64-ball knock, before he was bowled by Marcus Stoinis.
Undeterred, Haq completed his ninth century off 90 balls before he holed out at long-off to spinner Adam Zampa.
Haq added 111 for the second wicket with Azam off 92 balls.
Azam notched his century with a single off Cameron Green, reaching the mark off 73 balls.
He added 80 for the third wicket with Mohammad Rizwan before he was caught off Nathan Ellis with 40 needed off 34 balls.
When Rizwan fell for 23, Pakistan still needed 32, but Khushdil Shah cracked 27 not out with two fours and as many sixes to see off the target in 49 overs.
Pakistan’s previous highest chase was 327 achieved against Bangladesh at Mirpur in 2014.
Earlier, McDermott scored 104 off 108 balls in only his fourth one-day international, while Travis Head struck 89 and Marnus Labuschagne hit 59 after Australia were sent in to bat.
All-rounder Stoinis added the finishing touch with a quick-fire 49, with five fours and a six.
Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi gave the hosts a breakthrough off the third ball of the innings when he trapped Finch leg before wicket for a duck, but Australia scored at will after that, with McDermott and Head adding 162 off 144 balls for the second wicket, hitting boundaries with ease.
Head smashed five sixes and six fours before miscuing a sweep off leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, being caught by Shaheen at short fine-leg.
McDermott added another 74 with Labuschagne, and during that stand hit spinner Khushdil over the long-off boundary for six to complete a century off 102 balls.
He was finally caught off pace man Mohammad Wasim.
S AFRICA V BANGLADESH
AFP, DURBAN, South Africa
Temba Bavuma’s long wait for a second Test century continued yesterday when the South Africa vice captain was bowled for 93 on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh.
South Africa were 314-8 at lunch.
Bavuma made 102 not out against England in Cape Town in January 2016 in his seventh Test match. He is making his 50th appearance and has scored 18 half-centuries without adding another three-figure score.
Khaled Ahmed made a double strike when he trapped Kyle Verreynne leg before wicket for 28, then had Wiaan Mulder caught by a diving Mahmudul Hasan Joy at gully off the next ball.
South Africa were 245-6, having added only 12 runs to their overnight total, but Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj added 53 runs for the seventh wicket as Bavuma moved closer to his century.
However, when Bavuma attempted a cut against off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, the ball spun back sharply and deflected off his pad into the stumps.
He had faced 190 balls and hit 12 fours.
Maharaj fell off the next ball when he was bowled for 19 by Ebadot Hossain.
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