LAHORE: Australia won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in the third and decisive One Day International at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, setting up a winner-takes-all clash as the three-match series stands level at 1-1.
Australia captain Josh Inglis won the toss and chose to take first strike in the final match of the series.
The visiting side made one change to their lineup, bringing in Cooper Connolly in place of Tanveer Sangha for the decisive encounter. Pakistan, meanwhile, fielded an unchanged playing XI.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said his side would aim to restrict Australia to a low total and finish the series with a win on home soil.
With the series evenly poised at 1-1, the winner of today’s match will also clinch the ODI series.
More read, Australia levels ODI series with hard-fought 41-run win over Pakistan
Earlier, Australia defended a modest total of 232 to beat Pakistan by 41 runs in the second ODI at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday, leveling the three-match series at 1-1.
Bowling first after Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and elected to field, Australia posted 231-9 in 50 overs. Josh Inglis and Cameron Green each scored half-centuries for the visitors.
In reply, Pakistan was bowled out for 190 in 44 overs despite a defiant 71 off 104 balls from Shadab Khan, who hit three sixes and one four.
Pakistan’s chase unraveled early. Openers Maaz Sadaqat (0) and Sahibzada Farhan (3) fell inside two overs with only six runs on the board. Babar Azam (16 off 16) hit two boundaries before being dismissed by Nathan Ellis in the fifth over. Salman Ali Agha (7) and Abdul Samad (2) followed quickly.
Wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori made a gritty 37 off 48 balls with five fours before being bowled by Adam Zampa in the 17th over, leaving Pakistan at 78-6.
Shadab and Arafat Minhas (33 off 43) added 59 runs for the seventh wicket. After Minhas fell to Ellis, Shadab put on 31 with Shaheen Afridi (11) and 21 with Haris Rauf, who scored a 15-ball duck. Shadab was finally out to Tanveer Sangha on the first ball of the 45th over.
