Pakistan vs Australia 2019, 4th ODI: Visitors continue winning run with 6-run victory

Australia defeated Pakistan by 6 runs in the 4th ODI played at Dubai International Stadium, Dubai on Friday. Thanks to a brilliant partnership between Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey partnership Australia posted a competitive total, and later Pakistan fell short of the target despite centuries by Mohammad Rizwan and Abid Ali.

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and elected to field first. Australian openers Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja got the innings off to a steady start, and at the end of 10 overs they had scored 39 for 0.

After the powerplay overs, Mohammad Hasnain got the breakthrough as he dismissed Australian captain Finch for 39. Finch and Khawaja had added 56 runs for the opening wicket.

Khawaja played with positive intent while wickets fell at the other end. He reached his fifty off 64 balls, but Australia were reduced to 140 for 5 in the 29th over.

Maxwell and Carey then steadied the innings for Australia and put pressure on the Pakistani bowling line up. Maxwell reached his fifty off 53 balls and continued to attack the bowlers with abandon. Carey also soon reached his 50, off 62 balls.

Maxwell and Carey added 137 runs for the 6th wicket; their stand was only broken in the 50th over when Maxwell was dismissed for a brilliant 98. Australia recovered very well from their mid-innings slump to post 277 for 7 in 50 overs.

Chasing a target of 278 runs, Pakistan got off to the worst start possible as Shan Masood was dismissed in the first over itself. Haris Sohail and Abid Ali then calmed down the nerves in the camp, and at the end of 10 overs, Pakistan were 51 for 1.

Ali, playing his first international match for Pakistan, looked impressive. He played shots arll around the wicket and seemed comfortable with shouldering the responsibility of keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Sohail was dismissed for 25 by Nathan Lyon, after he and Ali had added 74 runs for the 2nd wicket. Ali and Rizwan then carried on in the same vein, attacking the Australian bowlers whenever they got a chance.

Ali reached his maiden century off 111 balls, but in the 42nd over Adam Zampa struck to remove him for 112 off 119 balls. Ali and Rizwan had added 144 runs for the 3rd wicket.

After the fall of Ali’s wicket, Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals while Rizwan completed his century off 98 balls.

With 17 runs required off the final over, Rizwan was dismissed for 104 by Marcus Stoinis. Usman Shinwari hit a six to give Pakistan some hope, but was dismissed on the very next ball. Australia ended up winning the match by 6 runs.

Brief scores: Australia 277 for 7 in 50 overs (Glenn Maxwell 98, Usman Khawaja 62, Carey 55, Mohammad Hasnanin 2/52, Yasir Shah 2/57) beat Pakistan 271 for 8 in 50 overs (Abid Ali 112, Mohammad Rizwan 104, Nathan Coulter- Nile 3/53, Stoinis 2/20) by 6 runs.