MELBOURNE, Jan 30: Pakistan handed Australia their first defeat of the triangular one-day series on Sunday with a three-wicket win in Perth.
Yousuf Youhana top scored with 72 while all- rounder Abdul Razzaq finished on 63 not out after taking four wickets in Australia's innings as Pakistan scored 268 for seven from 47.2 overs.
Michael Clarke smashed an unbeaten 75 off 75 balls and Adam Gilchrist belted 47 to help Australia to 265 from their 50 overs. Pakistan play West Indies in Perth on Tuesday in the final group match of the tournament with the winner joining Australia in next week's best-of-three finals.
"We're very excited. It's been a long time since we've beaten Australia," Razzaq said. "We really needed that and so now we're ready to hopefully make the final." Australia captain Ricky Ponting said his team did not deserve to win.
"The batting was disappointing," he said. "Most of the batsmen got starts, but no one with the exception of Clarke really put their hand up and made sure we got through.
"Whenever we got a bit of a partnership going, somebody got out and it really took the momentum away." Clarke, 23, struck five fours and a six to help the world champions reach a formidable total after a slow start.
Opener Gilchrist made 47 after being dropped twice and Ponting (29), Damien Martyn (24) and Andrew Symonds (23) all made starts before Australia slipped to 113 for four in the 23rd over
The tourists might have had Australia in deeper trouble had they fielded better but they dropped several catches, including Clark on 44, mis fielded a number of balls and conceded overthrows.
Australia were 192 for seven in the 39th over when Clarke was joined at the crease by Brett Lee. They added 54 runs for the ninth wicket with Lee making a valuable 22. Pakistan made a shaky start to their reply when they lost Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed and Younis Khan before the total had reached 50.
However, Youhana put them back in control with a fine innings off 90 deliveries including seven fours and a six. Pakistan skipper Inzamamul Haq chipped in with a valuable 29 before Man-of-the-Match Razzaq steered them to victory with his unbeaten half-century.
SCOREBOARD
AUSTRALIA
M. Hayden c S. Afridi b Navedul Hasan 6
A. Gilchrist b Abdul Razzaq 47
R. Ponting b Abdul Razzaq 29
D. Martyn c S. Malik b Shahid Afridi 24
A. Symonds c S. Malik b Shahid Afridi 23
M. Clarke not out 75
S. Katich c Y. Khan b Mohammad Khalil 0
B. Hogg c Y. Khan b Mohammad Khalil 10
B. Lee c M. Khalil b Abdul Razzaq 22
J. Gillespie c Y. Khan b Abdul Razzaq 4
G. McGrath b Rana Navedul Hasan 0
Extras (1b, 5lb, 16w, 3nb) 25
Total (50 overs) 265
Fall of wkts: 1-30, 2-63, 3-111, 4-113, 5-164, 6-170, 7-192, 8-246, 9-251, 10-265.
Bowling: Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 10-0-49-2 (5w), Iftikhar Anjum 10-0-57-0, Abdul Razzaq 10-0-53-4 (3nb), Mohammad Khalil 10-0-55-2 (5w), Shahid Afridi 10-0-45-2 (6w).
PAKISTAN
Salman Butt c Gilchrist b McGrath 20
Yasir Hameed c Symonds b Lee 12
Younis Khan c Martyn b McGrath 6
Yousuf Youhana c Katich b Symonds 72
Inzamamul Haq lbw b Hogg 29
Shoaib Malik run out 1
Abdul Razzaq not out 63
Shahid Afridi c Lee b Symonds 30
Rana Navedul Hasan not out 20
Extras: (7lb, 6w, 2nb) 15
Total: (7 wkts, 47.2 overs) 268
Fall of wkts: 1-27, 2-41, 3-49, 4-123, 5-125, 6-170, 7-223.
Bowling: McGrath 9-2-27-2, Lee 9.2-0-63-1 (2nb, 4w), Gillespie 10-1-35-0 (1w), Hogg 10-0-71-1, Symonds 9-0-65-2 (1w).
Did not bat: Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Khalil
Man-of-the-Match: Abdul Razzaq (PAK)
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL), Peter Parker (AUS). -Agencies
STANDINGS
MELBOURNE: Standings in the limited-overs international series between Australia, West Indies and Pakistan after Pakistan beat Australia (tabulated under: played, won, tied, lost, no result, bonus points, total points):
Australia 6 4 0 1 1 4 27
Pakistan 5 2 0 3 0 2 12
West Indies 5 1 0 3 1 1 9