Australia hit back in Lahore to level the ODI series against Pakistan
Australia have dragged the series back to level pegging. After being outplayed in Rawalpindi, the tourists beat Pakistan by 41 runs in the day-night second ODI at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2, setting up a decider on June 4. A modest 231 for 9 looked gettable on a true surface, but Pakistan never strung the partnerships together and folded for 190 with six overs unused.
Australia find the runs they lacked in Rawalpindi
The criticism after the opener was that Australia's batting kept stalling. This time they batted with more intent through the middle. Josh Inglis again led from the front at the top of the order, Cameron Green steadied the innings when wickets fell around him, and a late push from the lower order lifted a total that had looked like falling short of 220. Oliver Peake's cameo at the death was the difference between a defendable score and an ordinary one.
Shaheen Shah Afridi did the bulk of the damage for Pakistan with the new and old ball, but the hosts could not quite finish the innings off, and Australia's 231 for 9 gave their bowlers something to bowl at under lights.
Ellis turns the night Australia's way
Nathan Ellis was the man who broke the chase. His four-wicket haul earned him the player-of-the-match award and exposed a Pakistan top order that had looked so secure chasing 201 in the first game. Wickets at regular intervals meant the required rate kept climbing, and the pressure told.
Shadab Khan gave the run chase its only real momentum, fighting to 71 lower down the order, but he ran out of partners. Pakistan were bowled out for 190 in the 44th over, well short of a target that a settled batting line-up should have hunted down at home.
A decider on Thursday
The result keeps a depleted Australia in the contest they were not expected to trouble. This is a tour they took on without Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head, all rested or unavailable, with Inglis captaining in place of the injured Mitchell Marsh. To level a series in Pakistan with that group is no small thing, given Australia had not won an ODI series here since the late 1990s.
For Pakistan, the chance to close it out with a game to spare has gone, and the batting questions that did not matter when they chased down 201 suddenly do. Both sides head back to Lahore for the third and final ODI on June 4 with the series on the line.
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