In the first one-day international on Monday, Australia defeated Pakistan by a tense two wickets under the guidance of captain Pat Cummins, who made a spectacular comeback to international cricket. After a wobbly middle-order performance, Cummins, who remained composed under pressure, hit an undefeated 32 runs off 31 balls to lead Australia to a total of 204-8 with more than 16 overs remaining in the match.
Mitchell Starc led Australia’s speed attack earlier in the game, which bowled Pakistan out for 203 runs. Cummins, who won the toss and chose to field first, contributed two wickets for 39 runs, while Starc was more efficient, capturing three wickets for 33 runs. Despite a few fielding errors, Cummins was pleased with the team’s start to the summer, praising their emphasis on collecting wickets during the powerplay and their strong bowling effort.
Australia’s pursuit was first steadied by Josh Inglis and Steve Smith, who combined for 85 runs to put the side in a commanding 113-2 lead. But Australia faltered at 155-7 as Pakistan’s pace attack, spearheaded by Haris Rauf, who claimed 3 wickets for 67 runs, mounted a comeback. Smith’s firing was Rauf’s turning point, and he promptly terminated Glenn Maxwell and Marnus Labuschagne after they were taken off guard.
Five out of six top-order batsmen found it tough to keep up with Starc and Cummins’ pace, and Pakistan’s new white-ball captain, Muhammad Rizwan, admitted the challenges his team was facing. The rest of the batting order had trouble finding their groove, while Babar Azam scored a fast 37 runs. By dismissing debutant Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique, Starc achieved his 100th ODI wicket at home, surpassing Brett Lee’s previous record of 54 ODIs.
Before being removed by leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who also claimed the wicket of Babar Azam, clean bowled in his opening over, Rizwan gave 44 runs off 71 balls. Pakistan passed the 200-run milestone thanks to vital runs added by the tailenders, especially Naseem Shah. After Shaheen Shah Afridi hit 24 runs off 19 balls and Naseem scored a scorching 40 runs, Cummins dismissed Naseem to end the innings.
The connection between Smith and Inglis helped keep Australia’s pursuit steady even though they lost openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short early in the innings. However, Pakistan’s bowlers made major gains as the game went on, placing Australia in a vulnerable position as they attempted to chase down the modest score. Australia was under more strain because the majority of the 25,831 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground backed the visiting team.
Despite the extreme strain, Cummins was crucial in making sure his squad crossed the finish line as the game came to a head. He acknowledged the difficulties encountered during the game and expressed delight in his team’s effort after they won. “We missed a few chances and the luck was with Australia, so congratulations to them,” Rizwan said after the game. Regardless of the result, he underlined the value of the battle his squad put up.
The win gave Australia a strong start to the three-match ODI series and gave Cummins a lift as he made his comeback to international cricket following a break since the June T20 World Cup. The second One-Day International (ODI) between the two nations is slated for Friday in Adelaide, with the final match taking place in Perth on Sunday.
Australia gains an early lead in the series with this victory, paving the way for what looks to be an intriguing contest continuation. With the forthcoming T20 matches also on the horizon, fans are excited to watch how the series will play out as both teams get ready for the next games.
