• Australia bowled 21 wides in the innings against Pakistan.
• The game was trimmed to 40 overs per side due to a 90-minute rain delay.
• Australia’s spinners covered up a mediocre bowling effort.

Nida Dar scored her 11th ODI half-century after being called in, anchoring Pakistan with late powerful hitting that helped them reach 160 for 8.

As captain Meg Lanning made her long-awaited comeback in the shortened women’s ODI series opener at a dismal Allan Border Field, Australia’s spinners covered up a mediocre bowling effort to contain Pakistan.

The game was trimmed to 40 overs per side with bowlers allowed to bowl a maximum of eight overs apiece due to a 90-minute rain delay immediately after play began.

Australia bowled 21 wides in the innings, so Lanning tried to induce swing by using eight bowlers with the quicks occasionally loose.

Spinners Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen, and Alana King were standouts, threatening with quick turn during the middle overs, while wicketkeeper Beth Mooney was brilliant behind the stumps in Alyssa Healy’s absence.

Dar kept the innings together, reaching her half-century with a boundary in the 38th over on her way to being Pakistan’s highest-ever individual ODI scorer in Australia.

However, she lacked support as Pakistan lamented numerous batters who were unable to capitalise on strong starts. Skipper Bismah Maroof struck many superb drives before being caught for 28 by Mooney after gloving Gardner.

No. 4 Omaima Sohail began aggressively, with successive boundaries through the point. But her carefree attitude backfired as Sohail casually drove to point to the present seamer.

Prior to the rain delay, Australia sought early inroads in swinging conditions, capturing openers Muneeba Ali and Sidra Ameen.

Quick Darcie Brown took both wickets, but her radar was off, as she rushed for movement, resulting in a flurry of wides.

With the T20 World Cup approaching, the three-match series will be followed by three T20Is to complete Pakistan’s first bilateral series in Australia since 2014.

Lanning’s return following a five-month sabbatical after taking personal leave after the Commonwealth Games has been eagerly anticipated.

She bolstered an Australian team that will be missing both the ODI and T20I series owing to a calf ailment, while teenager Phoebe Litchfield earned her 50-over debut.

Australia is in prime position to keep their perfect record against Pakistan as this is their first ODI since taking home the World Cup in Christchurch last April.

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