LAHORE: Pakistan defeated Australia by four wickets in the third One Day International (ODI) to clinch the three-match series 2-1.
Chasing a modest target of 158 runs, Pakistan successfully reached the total in the 42nd over, sealing the series victory after a balanced performance with both bat and ball.
Earlier, Australia opted to bat first after winning the toss. Captain Josh Inglis led the scoring with 65 runs, while Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey contributed 19 runs each. However, the Australian batting lineup struggled against disciplined Pakistani bowling and was restricted to a low total.
Among the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi was the standout performer, taking three wickets. Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan supported well with two wickets each, keeping the pressure on throughout the innings.
In response, Pakistan’s batting was anchored by Babar Azam, who scored 40 runs. Shadab Khan added 28 runs, while Maaz Sadaqat contributed 27. Abdul Samad chipped in with 18 runs to help guide the team to victory.
For Australia, Matthew Kuhnemann picked up three wickets, while Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, and Nathan Ellis took one wicket each.
Pakistan had earlier won the first ODI by five wickets, while Australia claimed the second match by 42 runs, making the third game the series decider.
