Pak vs Aus: Travis Head’s heroics help Australia defeat Pakistan in first ODI

LAHORE: In the inaugural ODI in Lahore on Tuesday, Travis Head made a spectacular return to limited over cricket with a furious century before grabbing two wickets to power an overwhelming 88-run triumph by Australia.

Head’s 72-ball 101 helped Australia to a daunting 313-7 before the 28-year-old bowled Pakistan out for 225 in 45.2 overs after turning his arm over for 2-35.

With the ball, leg-spinner Adam Zampa shone, capturing 4-38 in ten probing overs and reaching 100 wickets in his 65th ODI.

The win gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, and it is their tenth straight ODI victory over Pakistan since January 2017.

With the asking rate hovering around 9.5, Australia were never in doubt. Opener Imam-ul-Haq struck a battling 96-ball 103, while skipper Babar Azam made 72-ball 57.

In his eighth one-day international century, Haq blasted six boundaries and three sixes but was bowled by paceman Nathan Ellis in the 39th over with 110 needed from 66 balls.

After opener Fakhar Zaman went for 18, Haq scored 96 with Azam for the second wicket, and another 38 with Khushdil Shah (19) for the sixth wicket.

Azam, who struck six boundaries in his innings, became the second-fastest hitter in ODI history to reach 4,000 runs in 82 innings, one faster than Hashim Amla of South Africa.

In the 25th over, Mitchell Swepson caught Azam leg-before-wicket, before Head dismissed Saud Shakil (three) and Iftikhar Ahmed (three) to further rattle Pakistan.

Mohammad Rizwan (ten), Hasan Ali (two), Mohammad Wasim (nought), and Khushdil were among the wickets taken by Zampa.

The aim, according to Australian captain Aaron Finch, was to put up a good total.

“We felt we needed 300 plus total and that was made easy by Travis scoring a hundred,” said Finch. “I am really proud of the way the guys played having no experience of these conditions.”

According to Azam, his dismissal was a watershed moment.

“We gave some extra runs,” said Azam. “I had a good partnership with Haq but when I felt we lost our grip and the chase became difficult.”

After Pakistan sent Australia in to bat at the Gaddafi Stadium, Head hit his second one-day international century and Ben McDermott smashed a career-best 55 off 70 balls.

Head, in his first ODI since November 2018, hit 12 boundaries and three sixes while putting on 110 for the first wicket with Finch.

Head reached three figures off 70 balls, the fastest ODI century by an Australian against Pakistan, with a single off spinner Iftikhar.

In Adelaide in 2017, he broke David Warner’s 78-ball record.

With the score at 209-2 in the 33rd over, Pakistan fought back by dismissing McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne (25) and Alex Carey for just 21 runs in the span of 39 balls (four).

Cameron Green (40 not out), Marcus Stoinis (26) and Sean Abbott (14) helped Australia pass the 300-run mark in the final five overs.

In his 30-ball innings, Green hit three boundaries and a six.

Haris Rauf took 2-44 for Pakistan, while debutant leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood finished with 2-59.

Australia was already shorthanded after spinner Ashton Agar tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Warner, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc were all absent for various reasons.

The final two matches will be played in Lahore on Thursday and Saturday.

For the latest Sports News Follow BOL News on Google News. Read more on Latest Sports News on oldsite.bolnews.com