and Shinwari swipes over the top of a slower ball on a length outside off to end the game
10.40pm Australia complete a 5-0 sweep with a 20-run win - their 8th in a row. Their total was set up by their top order, with Finch, Marsh and Maxwell all passing fifty and Khawaja narrowly missing out on his hundred. Pakistan lost Abid Ali in the very first over, and though Shan Masood reached fifty and Haris Sohail made a career-best 130 at better than a run a ball, they just didn't have enough in the tank to get past Australia's 327 for 7. Imad Wasim also reached fifty, but by the time he was at entered the game was already slipping away, and Australia's bowlers kept things tight to wrap things up.
Sohaib Ahmed: "Although Pakistan lost this series badly but it has been an eye opener for the players and coaches and will give enough to ponder on before the England series and the World Cup."
Kashif Qamar: "Maxwell is the only difference between both teams. Pak needs good allround power hitter badly."
Arif Chaudhry: "Pak needs a real finisher like Abdul Razzaq"
Jeevan: "read alot of comments saying Maxi was the difference in both the sides, are you guys forgetting about the australian opening pair. Finch scoring 451 and Khawaja with 272."
"It's very satisfying," says Australia coach Justin Langer. "We came here in September and Pakistan showed us how to play cricket. We worked really hard in the summer to turn it around, and 5-0 is a great result. Playing spin bowling has been a problem for a long time, but we've worked very hard and put some great plans into place. Everyone in world cricket is working towards the world cup, and it's always nice to go into the tournament with confidence. We've got some now."
Yet again, Glenn Maxwell is the Player of the Match: "It was nice to get involved. Our batting group did a great job. The team performance has been outstanding. To have this consistency leading into the world cup is great."
"The way Haris played is fantastic," says Imad Wasim. "Two hundreds in four games. He's worked really hard on his fitness, and it's paid off. Shan also played really well. No matter what players are playing, 5-0 is a bad loss. But we have to chin up as we have a series coming up against England and the World Cup. We'll sit down and see what we have to do, and then do it. We'll work on fielding and fitness. We also need to take initiative and play attacking cricket. After 17 years of struggle, Abid Ali showed his class in the last game. Same as Rizwan. If they keep playing like this, they can be superstars. No matter who is playing, they have to show their 'A' game. It's a big loss for us, but we'll come back hard in the next series."
Aaron Finch is the Player of the Series: "The way everyone contributed throughout the series was fantastic," says Finch. "The difference in 15, 20 runs tonight was the fielding. Our boys had a tremendous night in the field. everyone has played a really good role, so the selectors have a hard job to select that World Cup squad. My own process didn't change a lot, I've just changed a couple of things technically over the last couple of weeks. They didn't quite work at first, but when you try new things they take some time. It was tough. India had the better of me. Khawaja, his last couple of months in white ball cricket have been great, and he lead from the front in india. I was disappointed he didn't get a hundred here, he played a great knock. There's always room for improvement. One real positive it the way our spinners have bowled. The next couple of weeks will be important for guys to refocus and recharge their batteries. We'll go to the World Cup with a lot of confidence now, even after a lot of people wrote us off."
And that's all from your commentary team tonight. Please do check Danyal Rasool's match report before you leave. Thank you all for tuning in throughout this series. We hope you've enjoyed our coverage.
Imad sets himself for a big hit into the leg side, but the ball takes the inside edge and bounces off his pad. It rolls into space, and he's called through for a single to take him to fifty. With the game lost, there's no celebration from him
on a length and straighter this time, Imad pushing it back to the bowler
full pace delivery, just short of a length, and Imad plays and misses outside off
too short, too wide, and he'll have to bowl this one again
slower ball from Richardson, Imad throwing the kitchen sink at it but he's through the stroke far too early
swatted off a length and out to the cover sweeper, and they take on the fielder to get back for the second
Last over coming up, and Pakistan need 25 from it. Imad is on strike. Richardson will bowl.
Abdul Rehman: "Pakistan need Carlos Brathwaitte here"
caught at long on! Yasir had to go for it. The ball was full, slow and in the arc. He aimed for the stands beyond long on, but could only get it as far as Finch, who was lurking near the boundary in that direction
a slow cutter, just 112km/h, and Imad slams it out to the cover sweeper
dug in by Behrendorff, but it's much too short and balloons way over the batsman
slower ball bouncer, and Yasir gets himself in an awful tangle trying to get it away. In the end, he taps it tamely to short fine leg, and they sprint through for one
Yasir spots a length ball and spanks it straight, but doesn't hit it well enough to reach the boundary. That does, however, bring up Pakistan's 300
crunched out to the cover sweeper, just the one
sliced to wide long off! Imad clears his leg at a short one on off stump, slicing the ball wide of Richardson at long off. Richardson hared around the boundary to get to it, but his dive wasn't enough
Two overs to go, and Pakistan need 35. It's now or never
on a length and straight, Imad slugging it down to long on and running through for a single to keep the strike
another slower one at 118km/h, Imad backing away and slashing it down to long off
full bunger from Richardson, and it's sliced out towards the cover sweeper ... but drops short of him!
slower ball, and Imad swipes at it one-handed as he's flummoxed by the change of pace. The ball rolls into the leg side field, and they take a single
Yasir slams a length ball straight back at Richardson, who fields off his own bowling. Imad had wandered way out of his crease, looking to get back on strike, but Richardson decides not to throw down the stumps! He had time, and all three to aim at
41 off 18 needed. One big over could make things very interesting
1W | ||||
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
Dubai International Cricket Stadium | |
Toss | Pakistan, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2018/19 |
Player Of The Match | |
Player Of The Series | |
Series result | Australia won the 5-match series 5-0 |
Match number | ODI no. 4120 |
Hours of play (local time) | 15.00 start, First Session 15.00-18.30, Interval 18.30-19.15, Second Session 19.15-22.45 |
Match days | 31 March 2019 - daynight (50-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |