Australia 200 (Renshaw 61, Short 55, Minhas 5-32, Abrar 2-44) vs Pakistan

Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi was compelled to bowl first despite sweltering conditions because of dryness in the pitch. The hosts had included four spinners and only two fast bowlers in the XI to make the most of the conditions, and the innings panned out exactly how they wished it to as the visitors were bowled out with 35 balls to spare.

Abrar and Minhas bowled in tandem until the 16th over, and it took a while for the latter to adjust his length. But once Minhas adjusted to the pitch, he tore through the Australia line-up. It all came crashing for them in the left-armer’s fourth over as he pushed the ball with his 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 with the flatter trajectory of the ball because of which he was late to bring his bat down in time to negotiate a fuller delivery on the back foot, Inglis missed an attempted reverse sweep.

The ball of the innings, however, was bowled in Minhas’ next over as a ripping away turner pitched on a back of a length on middle and leg, and thudded to strike the top of Cameron Green’s off stump.

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 his first over. He never found his rhythm, and proved to be the most expensive bowler in the innings with none for 54 from eight overs. He had also gone wicketless in his last three matches, all during the 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 bowled quicker as Short charged at him to provide enough time for Ghazi Ghori to dislodge the bails. Soon, 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 their four spinners, the other being Salman Ali Agha, who bowled five overs, but none got the ball to turn as sharply as Minhas. He was brought for his final two overs at the start of the third powerplay, and completed his five-wicket haul with another stinging delivery which turned sharply after pitching on middle stump to bowl Nathan Ellis. Afridi and Rauf performed the final rites with a wicket each.

Matthew Kuhnemann had faced 15 balls in his ODI career before Saturday. But his 40-ball vigil to score 24 annoyed Pakistan, who peppered him with short balls. He stitched partnerships of 34 and 20 with Renshaw and Ellis, respectively, and was the last man to fall.