Despite sweltering conditions, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had been encouraged to bowl first because of the dryness in the pitch. Pakistan, to make the most of it, played four spinners and just the two quicks and that they wrapped up the visitors’ innings with 35 balls to spare for a meagre total suggested that all went according to plan.

Australia were dealt a blow before the toss as the experienced Adam Zampa was ruled out because of neck spasms and had to be replaced by Tanveer Sangha,  who went on to bowl very tidily. A good total would have put Pakistan’s batting capabilities to the test as three of their top four – Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat and Ghori – came in with just a handful of matches between them, having debuted in the format in just the last series in Bangladesh.

Australia started steadily with their makeshift opening pair of Matthew Short and Alex Carey finding boundaries in the first half of the opening powerplay. While Carey took his time to settle, Short crunched Haris Rauf for two consecutive fours through the off side in the second over. Soon Carey smoked Afridi for fours, but his stay at the crease was cut short in the seventh over as Abrar Ahmed had him caught at slip with a flighted delivery in what was his first over.

Afridi introduced Minhas from the other end and the pair bowled in tandem until the 16th over. It took a while for Minhas to nail his line and length, but once he found the rhythm he tore through Australia’s batting. It all came crashing down for them in his fourth over as he pushed the ball with the arm with great deception to have Josh Inglis and Marnus Labuschagne trapped in front.

The two were removed in the space of three balls in the 14th over. While Labuschagne was undone by the flatter trajectory of the ball – he was late bringing his bat down to negotiate a fuller delivery on the back foot – Inglis missed with a reverse sweep. The ball of the match, however, was in Minhas’ next over: a ripping delivery that pitched back of a length on middle and leg struck the top of Cameron Green’s off stump to leave Australia 68 for 4.

A 55-run partnership between Short and Matt Renshaw arrested the collapse and both went on to score half-centuries. While they steadied the innings by milking the spinners around the dial and picking up the odd boundary, they were allowed an opportunity to get back into the match as Afridi removed the spin duo from the attack.

Shadab Khan, who was playing his first ODI since the 2023 World Cup, was smashed for a boundary on the first ball as he gave away 12 runs in the over. He never found his rhythm and proved to be the most expensive in the innings with none for 54 from eight overs. He had also gone wicketless in his last three matches, all during that World Cup in India.

With Australia gaining momentum, Afridi returned to Minhas and the move worked as he beat Short with pace and turn. Minhas dragged his length back and put a few extra yards into his delivery as Short charged at him, providing enough time for Ghori to dislodge the bails. Later, a sharp legbreak from Abrar from around the wicket smashed into Renshaw’s off stump as Australia’s hopes of setting a challenging total started to fade.

Pakistan used all four spinners, the last being Salman Agha, who bowled five overs, but none of the others got the ball to turn as sharply as Minhas did. He was brought back for his final two overs at the start of the third powerplay and completed his five-wicket haul with another stinging delivery that turned sharply after pitching on middle stump to bowl Nathan Ellis. This was also the first time that he had taken five wickets in a List A match.

Matt Kuhnemann had faced 15 balls in his ODI career before this match. His 40-ball vigil annoyed Pakistan, who peppered him with short balls. He stitched partnerships of 34 and 20 with Renshaw and Ellis as he made 24. He was the last man to fall. Afridi and Rauf wrapped things up with a wicket each.

Australia were quick to introduce spin, as early as the fourth over, and they tasted success right away as Sadaqat holed out at deep midwicket off Kuhnemann. The wicket belonged to Short as much as it did to Kuhnemann, as he did well to take a clean catch along the boundary. Short was in action again, this time at long-off, when Farhan failed to connect cleanly with Sangha’s tossed-up delivery.

The ball seemed to be following Short and there was a chance later in the innings off Kuhnemann’s bowling when Babar mistimed a drive to short cover. With the ball dying on him, Short tried to pluck it diving low to his right but third umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled it had touched the ground. Babar was on 28 off 48 at that time and he went on to score 69 off 94.

Being the only experienced batter in the top four, Babar had to display his prowess in these tough batting conditions with the pitch continuing to deteriorate and offering more turn and uneven bounce to the bowlers. He had sliced Ellis for a boundary earlier in the innings, but later traded his attacking instincts for more composure. Ghori, who made his maiden half-century only in his second ODI, supported him. His 65 off 92 was also his highest List A score.

Babar and Ghori had the luxury of playing dots in the absence of scoreboard pressure and they seemed content with rotating the strike. The pair picked up boundaries occasionally. They shifted gears towards the end of their partnership as Ghori launched Ellis down the ground for boundaries and Babar smashed the first six of the match off Renshaw before hitting a glorious inside-out drive off Labuschagne. Inglis, Australia’s captain, was encouraged by the turn in the pitch to introduce the part-time spin of Short, Renshaw and Labuschagne, but it did not do much to derail the partnership.

As soon as he reached his 38th half-century in the format, Babar mistimed a loft down the ground but he was put down by Kuhnemann. He eventually fell to Ellis’ slower ball, a delivery which kept low. Ellis accounted for Ghori in his next over and Labuschagne removed Agha as he missed an audacious slog sweep with six runs needed.

But Pakistan strolled to the finish line with 45 balls to spare and they were, fittingly, taken over the line with a gigantic six down the ground by Minhas, who made 18 not out off 17.

Scores:
Pakistan 202 for 5 in 42.3 overs (Babar Azam 69, GaziGhori 65; Nathan Ellis 2-45) beat Australia 200 in 44.1 overs (Matt Renshaw 61, Matthew Short 55, Arafat Minhas 5-32, Abrar Ahmed 2-44) by five wickets

[Cricinfo]