Cummins Shines in Australia's Nail-biting Victory Over Pakistan

Pat Cummins marked his return to ODI cricket after a year in a grand way, leading Australia to a close two-wicket victory over Pakistan. Playing their first ODI in nearly a year, the visitors posted a modest 203, but a fiery attack from Haris Rauf almost turned the game in their favor. Despite the pressure, Cummins held his ground and guided the home side to a triumphant start of their home summer.

Pakistan suffered an early blow as Matthew Short was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi, which was closely followed by Naseem Shah removing Jake Fraser-McGurk. However, Steve Smith and Josh Inglis brushed off the shaky start, guiding Australia’s comeback with some swift boundary hits.

In a showcasing of his skills, Smith consistently thrashed the Pakistani bowlers, scoring multiple boundaries. Inglis also rose to the occasion, using his powerful shots to punish Mohammad Hasnain. The hosts were cruising at a promising rate before the break, with the score already above 105. Yet, post break, a recharged Rauf managed to dismantle the Australian middle order, taking down the high-scoring Smith and Inglis.

The game took a sudden turn as Rauf secured two wickets in consecutive deliveries, eliminating Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell, and leaving the home team in a difficult spot. It was up to Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, and Cummins to steer the ship, which seemed challenging as the first two fell before reaching the required target. Fortunately, Cummins' boundary hit on his first ball offered some respite, and he adeptly managed to gradually decrease the target along with limits Pakistan's bowling attack. Despite Abbott's run out, Cummins hit two boundaries from Rauf's over, securing Australia's close win.

Earlier in the match, Mitchell Starc opened Australia's bowling on a high, nabbing wickets in just two overs. The Pakistani team, after initial stumbles, bounced back with Babar Azam delivering some stunning shots, but his streak was short-lived as Adam Zampa quickly took him out. A masterstroke from Cummins put Pakistan in a tough spot with 70 for 4.