Highlighting the positives: Mitchell Starc excels as Australia edges out Pakistan in a close win in the first ODI.
Melbourne [Australia]: Mitchell Starc delivered a standout performance, earning the Man of the Match award as Australia narrowly defeated Pakistan by two wickets in the first ODI in Melbourne on Monday.
During the post-match presentation, Starc shared his excitement about starting the summer on a high note with the team. “It’s always great to kick off the summer positively with the group. Taking wickets during the powerplay is always a bonus. I put in a strong effort with the ball, and we managed to secure the win. I noticed the ball swung a bit, but we were a bit careless in the field. We lost too many wickets, which put us under pressure again. This summer is significant with the upcoming Test series and five more white-ball games,” Starc commented.
On the match itself, Mohammad Rizwan’s tenure as captain in white-ball cricket began with a disappointing two-wicket loss to Australia in the opening ODI at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.
Pat Cummins played a pivotal role in guiding Australia to victory during a tense chase, ensuring his team crossed the finish line successfully.
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Despite targeting a modest total of 204, Australia made their task difficult as they sought to chase it down quickly. Matthew Short was dismissed early, and Jake Fraser-McGurk couldn’t capitalize on his promising start. However, Steven Smith and Josh Inglis steadied the innings with a crucial 85-run partnership. Haris Rauf, making his return, showcased his fiery pace, shifting momentum in favor of Pakistan. Smith fell first for 44, followed by Inglis, who was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi.
Marnus Labuschagne succumbed to Rauf’s speed, and on the next delivery, Glenn Maxwell was caught off guard by extra bounce, resulting in a golden duck.
Aaron Hardie managed to thwart Rauf’s hat-trick attempt, maintaining Australia’s hopes alive. Hardie eventually fell for 10 runs, allowing Cummins to step in and lead his team to victory. Cummins remained composed throughout his innings, instilling confidence in his teammates and ensuring they reached the target with more than 16 overs to spare.
Earlier in the match, after being asked to bat first, Pakistan struggled to adjust from their Test cricket mindset, particularly during the powerplay. Mitchell Starc continued his excellent form from the Sheffield Cup, easily dismantling Pakistan’s top order. He bowled a maiden over to set the tone early on.
As the pressure mounted on the opening pair, Pat Cummins restricted scoring opportunities. Starc’s relentless bowling ultimately led to debutant Saim Ayub’s downfall; the young batsman chopped a delivery back onto his stumps.
Abdullah Shafique followed soon after, struggling under the challenging conditions. Attempting to leave a short delivery from Starc, he misjudged it, resulting in a catch to Josh Inglis.
Babar Azam, who started briskly, slowed down while Mohammad Rizwan held firm at the other end. Their 39-run partnership ended when Zampa deceived Babar into misreading the line, leading to his dismissal. Kamran Ghulam had little impact on his debut.
Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha attempted to revive Pakistan’s faltering batting lineup, but their efforts were ultimately in vain. With Pakistan in a precarious position, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah became crucial contributors for the team.
The tailenders provided valuable runs to help Pakistan reach a competitive total. Shaheen aggressively struck 24 runs off 19 balls, while Naseem made a more significant impact with 40 runs off 39 deliveries, helping Pakistan finish at 203 in 46.4 overs.
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