Australia pulled off a sensational last-over, six-run win despite a debut hundred by Pakistan’s Abid Ali and second career century by Mohammad Rizwan in the fourth one-day international in Dubai yesterday.
Needing 278 to win, Pakistan were brought close to their target by Ali’s 112 and Rizwan’s 104 but in the end the twin hundreds were in vain as they failed to score a required 17 off Marcus Stoinis’s last over.
The win gives Australia a 4-0 lead with the last match also in Dubai on Sunday.
Glenn Maxwell missed a second career hundred by just two runs, Usman Khawaja scored 62 and Alex Carey 55 as Australia posted 277-7 in their 50 overs.
Ali and Rizwan had put Pakistan on course for victory with a 144-run third-wicket stand but once Ali departed off leg-spinner Adam Zampa in the 42nd over, the innings wilted under the pressure of 60 runs in the last 8.5 overs.
Umar Akmal and debutant Saad Ali fell for seven each to paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile who finished with 3-53 while Stoinis had Rizwan and Usman Shinwari (six) in the final over to seal the win.
Ali, only drafted into the side two hours before the start after Imam-ul-Haq went down with fever, grabbed his opportunity, completing his hundred off 111 balls.
Earlier, it was Maxwell who lifted Australia — sent into bat — from 140 for five to an imposing total. Maxwell hit three sixes and nine boundaries in his 98 off 82 balls.
SCORES IN BRIEF
AUSTRALIA: 277 for 7 in 50 overs (Maxwell 98, Khawaja 62, Carey 55; Hasnain 2-52, Wasim 2-56)
PAKISTAN: 271 for 8 in 50 overs (Abid 112, Rizwan 104, Sohail 25; Coulter-Nile 3-53, Stoinis 2-20)
Result: Australian won by 6 runs.
Player-of-the-match: Glenn Maxwell.
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