Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets as Pakistan dismissed Australia for 157 in their third and final one-day international in Lahore on Thursday.

Shaheen finished with 3-30 and was ably supported by Abrar Ahmed (2-19) and Shadab Khan (2-28) as Australia’s innings folded in 42 overs on a slow-paced Gaddafi Stadium pitch.

Spinners Abrar and Shadab built on Shaheen’s early strikes as Pakistan made a strong comeback after losing the second ODI by 41 runs.

Pakistan won the first match by five wickets in Rawalpindi.

Josh Inglis top-scored with a 71-ball 65, which included eight boundaries and a six, with Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey scoring 19 each and Adam Zampa making 10.

Shaheen had Matthew Short caught off the second ball of the match before Inglis added 46 for the second wicket with Labuschagne and another 52 for the third with Carey.

But Australia lost their last seven wickets for a meagre 38 runs with two run outs also hurting their innings.

Australia won the toss and chose to bat against Pakistan at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

On Tuesday, an understrength Australia shocked Pakistan by 41 runs in the second ODI in Lahore, levelling the three-match series 1-1, with fast bowler Nathan Ellis taking a career-best four-wicket haul.

The decider presents both teams with an opportunity to finish the series on a high, but it also offers Pakistan another chance to assess a developing ODI squad as preparations continue for the 2027 World Cup.

Teams

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Arafat Minhas, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

Australia: Josh Inglis, Matt Short, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Oliver Peake, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.