190/10 (44.0)
CR : 4.32
231/9 (50.0)
CR : 4.62
Australia won by 41 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Nathan Ellis
4/335(9)
Bowler of the Match: Matthew Short (3/36)
Striker of the Match: Matthew Renshaw (43 Runs at a SR of 100)
Fielder of the Match: Adam Zampa (for dismissing Sahibzada Farhan)
Outstanding Performance of the Match: Josh Inglis (Captaincy and 51 Runs)
Shield of the Match: Shadab Khan (71 Runs)
Player of the Match: Nathan Ellis (4/33)
Nathan Ellis (POTM): "(On his bowling plans with the new ball) When you get the new ball on a wicket like this you would like to maximize it for as long as possible. It won't operate that way for two long. Maybe a few overs early on and then you want to get into your work of variations as we saw both teams do tonight.
(Added pressure being the only front-line pacer in the XI) Not added pressure. It is different from the traditional one-day bowling attacks you see across the world. The best part of this group is the willingness to be flexible, to adapt and to try different things. So, no extra pressure for sure but something different.
(Bowling plans in such wickets in Pakistan) There is no secret that today was very low and slow. You could pull your length back and still hit the top of the stumps. I am a little short, so I do that across the globe to be honest. A bowler could bowl some cutters and different variations right through today. Even some reverse swing was on offer between 35 and 45 overs and that helped us as well."
(Added pressure being the only front-line pacer in the XI) Not added pressure. It is different from the traditional one-day bowling attacks you see across the world. The best part of this group is the willingness to be flexible, to adapt and to try different things. So, no extra pressure for sure but something different.
(Bowling plans in such wickets in Pakistan) There is no secret that today was very low and slow. You could pull your length back and still hit the top of the stumps. I am a little short, so I do that across the globe to be honest. A bowler could bowl some cutters and different variations right through today. Even some reverse swing was on offer between 35 and 45 overs and that helped us as well."
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan Captain): "[On thoughts at the halfway mark] I think we gave away 20-30 runs extra towards the end. We lost wickets early on and that built pressure on us.
[On difference in surface from Rawalpindi] It is a spinning track. It is not easy to bat on. Yes, in the second innings, ball comes nicely onto the bat but the way Nathan Ellis bowled, he didn't leave the stumps and that brought him success.
[On which mistakes he won't want to repeat to win the series] We will try to win the game. There's just a day's gap so we will try not to look too much at our mistakes.
[On Pakistan's fast bowlers] Yes, on these wickets the more you bowl in line of the stumps, it will help. It doesn't swing much. When it started to reverse, the ball was changed so our bowlers didn't get much help from the old ball."
[On difference in surface from Rawalpindi] It is a spinning track. It is not easy to bat on. Yes, in the second innings, ball comes nicely onto the bat but the way Nathan Ellis bowled, he didn't leave the stumps and that brought him success.
[On which mistakes he won't want to repeat to win the series] We will try to win the game. There's just a day's gap so we will try not to look too much at our mistakes.
[On Pakistan's fast bowlers] Yes, on these wickets the more you bowl in line of the stumps, it will help. It doesn't swing much. When it started to reverse, the ball was changed so our bowlers didn't get much help from the old ball."
Josh Inglis (Australia Captain): (On the team's response after the previous match) "It was a very quick turnaround, and most of our discussions were focused on the batting side of things. The players had some really good conversations during training about their individual methods and how they wanted to approach this game. We knew a lot would depend on the wicket, and it looked very similar to the surface from the previous match. I thought the batting group responded really well. There were contributions throughout the lineup, and we built some very important partnerships.
(On the approach with the bat and building partnerships) Yes, the plan was to spend a bit more time at the crease because it was a slow surface. It would have been nice if one of us had gone on to make a really big score, but the focus was on building partnerships through the middle overs and remaining patient. In the end, we felt that any score above 200 would keep us well in the game, and thankfully, we managed to get there.
(On the DRS decisions) A couple of the reviews didn't quite go our way. I'll put the blame on the bowlers for that one (chuckles).
(On Nathan Ellis' bowling performance) Ellis was outstanding tonight. He's the kind of bowler you can always rely on, especially on pitches like these. His variations are exceptional, and they make life very difficult for batters. When he's bowling at around 145 km/h and then suddenly mixes in slower balls just over 100 km/h, it's incredibly hard to adjust. I thought he executed his skills brilliantly and was a major reason for our success with the ball."
(On the approach with the bat and building partnerships) Yes, the plan was to spend a bit more time at the crease because it was a slow surface. It would have been nice if one of us had gone on to make a really big score, but the focus was on building partnerships through the middle overs and remaining patient. In the end, we felt that any score above 200 would keep us well in the game, and thankfully, we managed to get there.
(On the DRS decisions) A couple of the reviews didn't quite go our way. I'll put the blame on the bowlers for that one (chuckles).
(On Nathan Ellis' bowling performance) Ellis was outstanding tonight. He's the kind of bowler you can always rely on, especially on pitches like these. His variations are exceptional, and they make life very difficult for batters. When he's bowling at around 145 km/h and then suddenly mixes in slower balls just over 100 km/h, it's incredibly hard to adjust. I thought he executed his skills brilliantly and was a major reason for our success with the ball."
So what to take away? Australia's recovery from 51/3. Inglis' composed fifty. Green's patient 53. Renshaw's important contribution. Peake's encouraging knock on a difficult day for batters. And from Pakistan's side? Ghazi Ghori once again showing promise, Arafat Minhas contributing with bat and ball, and Shadab Khan refusing to surrender despite cramps and disappearing partners. Australia have levelled the series with a deserved victory. The contest is now beautifully poised. One game left. Everything to play for.
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentators, Manan Mehta, Ajay Pal Singh, and scorer Raju Khariya. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesn’t sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!!
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentators, Manan Mehta, Ajay Pal Singh, and scorer Raju Khariya. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesn’t sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!!