Warner century helps Australia seal series
David Warner’s 119-ball 130, and three wickets each for Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa, helped Australia beat Pakistan by 86 runs in the fourth One-Day International at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (January 22). Having won two of the first three games already, Australia wrapped up the series 3-1 with the final match left.
Warner was well supported by Steve Smith (49), Travis Head (51) and Glenn Maxwell (78) as Australia posted 353 for 6 in 50 overs. Pakistan started its chase on a steady note, but Sharjeel Khan’s dismissal for a 47-ball 74 in the 17th over proved decisive. Sharjeel hit ten fours and three sixes, but after he left, Australia’s bowlers dried up the boundaries and Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 267 in 43.5 overs.
That Pakistan was chasing such a big target was because it conceded at least 25 runs because of lacklustre fielding. Smith was dropped on 10, Head got a life on 30 and Maxwell was reprieved on 8. Further, Warner added 15 runs after being caught off a no-ball.
The game started with Usman Khawaja and Warner putting an opening stand of 92 runs in 17.2 overs after Smith chose to bat. Khawaja made 30 before Hasan Ali had him caught behind. That brought Smith to the crease, and he added 120 runs with Warner at 6.60 as Australia took control of proceedings.
Warner and Smith fell in the space of one run, becoming Hasan’s second and third wickets respectively on his way to career-best figures of 5 for 52. It fell upon Head and Maxwell then to resurrect Australia’s innings, and they did that in style through a stand of 100 runs off just 64 balls.
When Mohammad Amir had Head caught by Shoaib Malik in the 47th over, Australia was on the charge. Head and Maxwell hit a total of 12 fours and five sixes between them as Australia went into the break full of confidence.
Pakistan lost Azhar Ali, the captain who returned for this game after recovering from a hamstring injury, to Hazlewood in the second over. Azhar had come in place of Asad Shafiq. After that, Sharjeel and Babar Azam, who had made 84 in the previous game, put on 73 runs to put the chase back on track.
Head had Babar caught at long-on in the 14th over, but Sharjeel kept hitting out. The turning point of the game came in Zampa’s third over when Sharjeel was caught by Warner at deep mid-wicket.
Pakistan never recovered after that even though Mohammad Hafeez (40) and Malik (47) tried their best.
Zampa finished with figures of 3 for 55 on his comeback, and Hazlewood picked up the last wicket to returned 3 for 54.
Australia had recalled Mitchell Starc and Zampa, and left out James Faulkner and Billy Stanlake for this game.
