Pakistan and Australia will face off in the decisive third ODI at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday, with the three-match series evenly balanced at 1-1. The encounter promises an exciting finish as both teams aim to secure the series victory.
Australia leveled the series with a 41-run win in the second ODI, setting up a thrilling winner-takes-all contest. The final match presents an important opportunity for Pakistan not only to claim the series but also to assess the strength of its emerging ODI squad ahead of preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
In the previous match, Australia successfully defended a total of 231, bowling Pakistan out for 190 in 44 overs. Nathan Ellis starred with the ball, taking four wickets, while Matthew Short claimed three crucial dismissals to derail Pakistan’s chase.
Earlier, Pakistan’s bowling attack had performed well to restrict Australia to 231-9 in 50 overs. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi led from the front with figures of 3-36, while Arafat Minhas and Haris Rauf picked up two wickets each. Abrar Ahmed also contributed with two wickets in a disciplined bowling effort.
Pakistan made an impressive start when Shaheen dismissed Alex Carey with the first delivery of the innings. Abrar Ahmed and Arafat Minhas then removed Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne respectively, leaving Australia under pressure early on. However, captain Josh Inglis and Cameron Green steadied the innings with half-centuries, scoring 51 and 53 runs respectively.
Late contributions from Matthew Renshaw and Oliver Peake helped Australia push their total beyond 230. In reply, Pakistan suffered an early collapse and found themselves struggling at 78-6. Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Arafat Minhas, and Shadab Khan attempted to revive the innings, with Shadab producing a fighting 71 off 104 balls. Despite their efforts, Pakistan fell short by 41 runs.
As the teams prepare for the series decider, cricket fans can expect another intense battle between two competitive sides at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium.
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