Pakistan v Australia, 2014-15
Wisden's review of the second ODI, Pakistan v Australia, 2014-15
15-Apr-2015
At Dubai, October 10, 2014 (day/night). Australia won by five wickets. Toss: Pakistan. One-day international debut: Raza Hasan.
Pakistan frequently send their opponents crashing with a clatter of wickets - but almost as often they do the collapsing themselves. This was one such occasion. Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfraz Ahmed were cruising along, 126 for none at halfway. It was the first time Pakistan's openers had raised three figures in 43 innings, from their ninth different combination in that time. But Shehzad slapped an innocuous delivery from Doherty to short midwicket, Sarfraz went in the next over, chipping a wide one to point - and it all fell apart. Johnson finished with three wickets, and there were three run-outs. When Australia slipped to 72 for three, a Pakistan win was not inconceivable. But Maxwell buried his Twenty20 bling, and took his time to work out a difficult pitch. He put on a pivotal 85 with Bailey, who struggled to 28 from 68 balls - but Maxwell zipped away once settled, a blur of reverse sweeps, slogs and pulls. The result confirmed Pakistan's seventh defeat in their last nine one-day series in the UAE.
Man of the Match: G. J. Maxwell.
Pakistan frequently send their opponents crashing with a clatter of wickets - but almost as often they do the collapsing themselves. This was one such occasion. Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfraz Ahmed were cruising along, 126 for none at halfway. It was the first time Pakistan's openers had raised three figures in 43 innings, from their ninth different combination in that time. But Shehzad slapped an innocuous delivery from Doherty to short midwicket, Sarfraz went in the next over, chipping a wide one to point - and it all fell apart. Johnson finished with three wickets, and there were three run-outs. When Australia slipped to 72 for three, a Pakistan win was not inconceivable. But Maxwell buried his Twenty20 bling, and took his time to work out a difficult pitch. He put on a pivotal 85 with Bailey, who struggled to 28 from 68 balls - but Maxwell zipped away once settled, a blur of reverse sweeps, slogs and pulls. The result confirmed Pakistan's seventh defeat in their last nine one-day series in the UAE.
Man of the Match: G. J. Maxwell.