The three-ring circus: Australia clinch dead rubber to claim series 3-0
Chasing a gettable 232, Pakistan got off to a solid start but no batsman was able to convert his start into a big score, with Asad Shafiq top scoring with 50, as wickets fell at regular intervals.
After having added 30 for the seventh wicket partnership, it seemed that Umar Amin and Anwar Ali would see Pakistan home with only 28 required off 32 balls. However, first Amin and then Ali lost their wickets in quick succession to hand the initiative to the men from down under.
The match turned once again as Zulfiqar Babar and Sohail Tanvir added 22 to bring Pakistan to within touching distance. But with only two runs required off the last over, there was still time for one final twist in the tale as Glenn Maxwell managed to take the final two wickets without conceding a single run to hand Australia a win that sees them retain the number one spot in the ICC rankings.
Deciding to bat first, the Australian batsmen were kept in check by tidy bowling from the Pakistani bowlers. Stand-in captain Shahid Afridi would have been happy with his side’s bowling performance as all bowlers kept a tight line to restrict Australia to 231. However, it was enough to give Australia their narrowest ever win over Pakistan.
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stop paying players big bucks for 3 years. Just pay them a minimum amount (what do the hockey players get?) and watch how the big parchee system stops. During this time, try and find geniune great players who really deserve to represent the country....not these parchee waley loosers!!
I am sure we will have an amazing team if you only remove the egos and start sending genuine players...and we should probably have a limit to the age of the players beyond which they have to give new-comers a chance.
I can't believe that they did not score "2 RUNS" of 6 balls. Everyone of them were swing the bat like they were going to finish-off the match with single shot.
Last nite's defeat was sheer bad mind play. The Aussies are a fighting team with tough mental fiber and maturity towards the game. That is what our team lacks. Salams
@Shan: answer is simple: a corrupt to the core Prime Minister and his family and a Parliament of blood suckers.It is demoralizing and it travels down to all spheres of our life.Sports they can't hide rest they can. When your leadership comprises of Nawaz Zardari Shahbaz Faz lul Asfandyar and Altaf, they put people of their own creed to head organizations and that is why Shehryar and Sethi are there.
GUYS come on chill u heard the commentators say only Pakistan can Do This
@Junaid: Shahid Afridi WHO ???? Spent force, you can hear his bones creak when he moves around.. All these old aged Baabas in Pakistan team must go; it is time for them to do somrthing else for a change, cricket is not their fancy anymore;
afridi is like imran khan. all words,promises and no result on ground.
Team Pakistan is lucky, Imran Khan is not captain other wise this whole bunch banned for life.
If mohammad Amir and mohammad sami or even ajmal are in this team, then result of series would have been opposite. It will take a few years to repair the damage but it will be repaired. Even as I write this somewhere in pakistan at this moment a world's best pacer and world's best spinner are practicing in the streets or alleys.
Befitting reply to the Australians !
After playing 384 one day matches, Afridi cannot place a ball for a single.
Had Imran khan been the captain Sohail tanveer would have been banned for life
Well done Australia.
Look all three matches and please evaluate Shahid Afridi score and his performance. This is pathetic.
Thats why i say all pakistani players should be checked for fixing.
Inexplicable move . Regardless if we win or lose this one. , this is a stupid move in giving a 'tried , tested and failed ' captain another try
It seems that we are going to have a new ODI captain soon.
It seems that we are going to see a new ODI captain soon.