LAHORE: Despite a fighting half-century from Shadab Khan, Pakistan suffered a 41-run defeat against Australia in the second One-day International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday as the visitors levelled the three-match series 1-1.

Chasing a modest 232-run target on a difficult surface offering considerable assistance to spin, Pakistan were bowled out for 190 in 44 overs after Australia’s bowlers exploited the conditions superbly.

Shadab waged a lone battle with a composed 71 off 104 deliveries, striking one four and three sixes, but received little support from the top order as Pakistan slipped from 33-2 to 78-6 before eventually folding.

Nathan Ellis led Australia’s charge with figures of 4-33 in nine overs, while Matthew Short complemented him with 3-36. Adam Zampa and Tanveer Sangha claimed one wicket apiece.

Pakistan’s chase got off to the worst possible start when Maaz Sadaqat was bowled by Ellis off the third ball of the innings. Sahibzada Farhan followed shortly afterwards, caught off Matthew Kuhnemann for three, leaving the hosts reeling at 6-2.

Babar Azam looked positive during his brief stay, striking two boundaries in a 16-ball 16, but Ellis trapped him lbw to deepen Pakistan’s troubles. Ghazi Ghori attempted to rebuild the innings with a fluent 37 off 48 balls featuring five fours, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.

Salman Ali Agha managed seven before becoming Short’s first victim, while Abdul Samad was caught and bowled by the same bowler for two as Pakistan slipped to 58-5.

Ghazi and Shadab added some resistance before Zampa removed the wicket-keeper-batter, reducing Pakistan to 78-6 in the 17th over.

Shadab then found an able ally in Arafat Minhas, with the pair adding 59 runs for the seventh wicket to briefly revive Pakistan’s hopes. Arafat contributed a valuable 33 off 43 deliveries, hitting four boundaries, before Ellis trapped him lbw.

Pakistan’s lower order was unable to sustain the challenge. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi scored 11 before edging Short behind, while Haris Rauf endured a 15-ball stay for a duck before being bowled by Ellis. Shadab, who battled cramp late in his innings, was stumped off Sangha as Pakistan’s resistance finally ended.

Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers had produced an impressive display after captain Shaheen elected to field.

Shaheen struck with the first ball of the match, bowling Alex Carey for a duck, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Arafat Minhas took control during the middle overs.

Arafat returned figures of 2-27 in 10 overs and Abrar claimed 2-34 as Australia struggled for momentum on the turning pitch.

Josh Inglis top-scored with 51 off 74 balls, while Cameron Green made 53 from 92 deliveries. The pair steadied the innings after early setbacks before both fell to spin.

Australia were boosted by useful lower-order contributions from Matt Renshaw, who scored 43, and Oliver Peake, whose 31 helped push the total to 231-9. Haris claimed 2-49, while Shaheen finished with 3-36.

The total ultimately proved more than sufficient as Australia’s varied attack maintained pressure throughout Pakistan’s chase to secure victory and set up a series-deciding third ODI.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:
A. Carey b Shaheen0
M. Short c&b Abrar15
J. Inglis b Arafat51
M. Labuschagne c Salman b Arafat5
C. Green c Sahibzada b Abrar53
M. Renshaw b Haris43
O. Peake b Haris31
M. Kuhnemann b Shaheen5
N. Ellis c Arafat b Shaheen5
A. Zampa not out0

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-7, W-8)23
TOTAL (for nine wickets, 50 overs)231
DID NOT BAT: T. Sangha
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Carey), 2-46 (Short), 3-51 (Labuschagne), 4-102 (Inglis), 5-167 (Green), 6-184 (Renshaw), 7-202 (Kuhnemann), 8-215 (Ellis), 9-231 (Peake)
BOWLING: Shaheen 8-1-36-3 (1w), Haris 10-1-49-2 (1w), Arafat 10-2-27-2, Abrar 10-1-34-2, Maaz 2-0-7-0, Shadab 9-0-56-0 (1w), Salman 1-0-7-0

PAKISTAN:
Sahibzada Farhan c Zampa b Kuhnemann3
Maaz Sadaqat b Ellis0
Babar Azam lbw b Ellis16
Ghazi Ghori b Zampa37
Salman Ali Agha b Short7
Abdul Samad c&b Short2
Shadab Khan st Inglis b Sangha71
Arafat Minhas lbw b Ellis33
Shaheen Shah Afridi c Inglis b Short11
Haris Rauf b Ellis0
Abrar Ahmed not out0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-9)10
TOTAL (all out, 44 overs)190
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Maaz), 2-6 (Sahibzada), 3-33 (Babar), 4-44 (Salman), 5-58 (Samad), 6-78 (Ghazi), 7-137 (Arafat), 8-168 (Shaheen), 9-189 (Haris)
BOWLING: Ellis 9-1-33-4 (3w), Kuhnemann 10-1-41-1, Short 8-1-36-3, Zampa 9-0-30-1, Sangha 4-1-22-1 (1w), Renshaw 2-0-8-0, Green 2-0-19-0 (1w)
RESULT: Australia won by 41 runs.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2026