Pakistan Vs Australia

The speedster Haris Rauf acknowledges that Pakistan was "untidy" and committed "mistakes" in their close loss against Australia.

ODI Live Score: Australia vs. Pakistan: Australia chooses to bowl against Pakistan

In his first ODI match since the World Cup final last year, Pat Cummins was outstanding with the ball and bat, helping Australia defeat Pakistan by a nerve-wracking two wickets. Playing their first ODI match in nearly a year, the visitors faltered at bat, managing just 203 runs, and were like to lose easily until Haris Rauf rallied them. But Cummins maintained composure in the closing moments and made sure Australia won to start their home summer.

During the run chase, Australia quickly scored 18 runs. But Matthew Short gave Pakistan an early lead as he mistimed a pull against Shaheen Afridi. The other opener was dismissed by Naseem Shah in the very next over after Jake Fraser-McGurk hit a weak one to the fielder at mid-on. Josh Inglis and Steve Smith, however, were unaffected by that nervous start and calmed the jitters by each hitting a boundary in the following two overs.

Smith kept up his fluid batting style, smashing Mohammad Hasnain for a couple of boundaries before Inglis took Naseem apart for a six. When Australia was cruising at one point, scoring at a rate of more than six runs per over, Hasnain was severely punished by both of these hitters. The hosts had already scored 105 runs by the end of the 15th over, making the outcome seem inevitable. But after the drinks break, a ferocious Rauf tore through the middle order, and everything changed. Shaheen was able to eliminate an enraged Inglis while he eliminated Smith.

Rauf stunned the home team with a spectacular reversal, taking two wickets in two balls to dismiss Glenn Maxwell and Marnus Labuschagne. The game was altered by three wickets in five deliveries for no runs, leaving Australia to rely on players like Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, and Cummins to do the job. When Hardie fell with 49 remaining, Pakistan's hopes were raised, but Cummins quickly gained confidence by hitting his first ball for a boundary. The captain was able to quickly bring down the target and hold the Pakistani pacers at bay.