Travis Head capped a remarkable return to limited over cricket with a fiery century before taking two wickets to anchor Australia’s thumping 88-run victory over Pakistan in the first day-night international in Lahore on Tuesday.
Head’s 72-ball 101 guided Australia to a challenging 313-7 before the 28-year-old turned his arm over for 2-35 to bowl Pakistan out for 225 in 45.2 overs. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa also starred with the ball, taking 4-38 in ten probing overs.
The victory gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, their tenth successive ODI win over Pakistan since January 2017.
Opener Imamul Haq hit a fighting 96-ball 103 while skipper Babar Azam made a 72-ball 57 but with the asking rate hovering around 9.5, Australia were never in doubt of victory. Haq hit six boundaries and three sixes in his eighth One-Day International century but was bowled by paceman Nathan Ellis in the 39th over with 110 needed off 66 balls.
Haq added 96 with Azam for the second wicket after opener Fakhar Zaman fell for 18 and another 38 with Khushdil Shah (19) for the sixth wicket. Azam, who hit six boundaries in his knock, became the second fastest batter to complete 4,000 ODI runs in 82 innings, one more than South African Hashim Amla’s record.
Azam was trapped leg-before wicket by Mitchell Swepson in the 25th over before Head dismissed Saud Shakil (three) and Iftikhar Ahmed (three) to further jolt Pakistan. Zampa finished with the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (ten), Hasan Ali (two), Mohammad Wasim (nought) and Khushdil. Earlier, Head knocked his second ODI hundred and Ben McDermott hit a career-best 55 from 70 balls after Australia were sent in to bat by Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Head, playing his first ODI since November 2018, cracked 12 boundaries and three sixes and put on 110 for the opening wicket with skipper Aaron Finch who made 23.—Agencies
