Ton-up Smith steers Australia home

Steve Smith led from the front with an unbeaten 108, his eighth One-Day International century, to muscle Australia to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in game three of the five-match series at the WACA ground in Perth on Thursday (January 19).

Put in to bat, Pakistan rode on a classy 84 by Babar Azam but lost its way in the last 10 overs to settle for 263 for 7. Australia lost David Warner and Usman Khawaja, the openers, fairly early in its chase but Smith and Peter Handscomb, the debutant, put on 83 at better than a run a ball as the host finished on 265 for 3 with five overs to spare. Australia thus leads the series 2-1 with two to play. The fourth match is in Sydney on Sunday.

Warner got Australia off to a typically brisk start with 35 off 38 before being caught behind off Junaid Khan, and when Mohammad Amir dismissed Khawaja, also caught behind by Mohammad Rizwan for 9, the host was in a spot at 45 for 2. That should have been 46 for 3 when Junaid had Handscomb caught at gully, but the batsman was recalled to the middle after it was found that the bowler had overstepped. Handscomb had another let-off when he was dropped on 10 at point, also off Junaid. After that, Pakistan hardly threatened as Smith and Handscomb joined hands in a match-winning partnership.

By the time Handscomb offered Rizwan his third catch of the innings, he had cruised along to 82 from 84 deliveries and Australia was just 36 away from victory. Smith and Travis Head completed the formalities. The skipper pulled his 97th ball to the mid-wicket fence to complete his century, along the way becoming the fastest Australian, in 79 innings, to bring up 3000 ODI runs.

Earlier in the day, Josh Hazlewood reined in the visitor after it got off to a flying start, picking up 3 for 32 from his ten overs. He claimed the vital wickets of Babar, who top-scored with 84 from 100 balls, Umar Akmal (39) and Mohammad Hafeez (4), the opener and stand-in skipper in the absence of the injured Azhar Ali.

Babar played beautifully and appeared set to add another century to his blossoming career when he was brilliantly caught by Handscomb. He attempted a pull shot and Handscomb took a great diving catch in the outfield, the third umpire confirming that the Australian got his hands under the ball.

Babar did enjoy some luck, dropped twice by bowlers on their follow-through. He was grassed by James Faulkner on 31 and then Pat Cummins put down a difficult chance when he was 74.

In his 21st innings, the Pakistani No. 3 equalled the record held by four other players for being the quickest to 1000 runs.

Akmal should have been stumped on 1 to give Head (2 for 65) a third wicket with his part-time off-spin, but Matthew Wade botched an easy dismissal.
Sharjeel Khan, the opener, had sent Pakistan on its way with a brisk 50 off 47, and Shoaib Malik added impetus in the middle orders with an enterprising 39, but Australia’s pace bowlers choked the flow of runs in the final 10 overs which produced only 50 runs.