LAHORE: Pakistan has won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in the third and final one-day international (ODI) at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Outclassed in the first One-day International by touring Australia, Pakistan bounced back in the second in style. The hosts made history, chasing down a record 349-run target, thanks to match-winning knocks by skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq.
The first ODI, however, saw Pakistan struggle to score freely, especially against the Australian spinners who made the most of the skidding ball while dew fell on the turf.
In the second game, the dew factor was not as heavily involved, but what mattered more was Pakistan’s approach towards chasing the mammoth target after their bowlers were plundered all over the ground.
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam set up the foundation before Babar took the match to a stage from where Khushdil Shah’s eventual cameo helped Pakistan go over the line.
With the pitch not expected to change much for the ultimate face-off between Babar and his Australian counterpart Aaron Finch, the onus will be on both teams’ batters to put up their best show.
Winning the match and the series will not only help Pakistan avenge Australia’s 1-0 triumph in the recently-concluded Test series as they tour the country after 24 years, but also help Babar’s men to improve their reputation against the visitors.
PLAYING XIs
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Zahid Mahmood, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Zampa
