Pakistan win an international series in Australia after 22 years
Perth, Nov 10: Pakistan achieved its first win over Australia in a 50-overs series in Australia since 2002 when it won the deciding third one-day international Sunday by eight wickets.
Australia's under-strength batting lineup folded in the face of hostile bowling from Pakistan's pace attack and was all out for 140 in 31.5 overs.
The home team was without captain Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne, all of whom were rested to prepare for the first of five tests against India that begins in Perth on Nov. 22.
Saim Ayub (42) and Abdullah Shafique (37) then gave Pakistan's chase a solid foundation in an 84-run opening partnership before both fell in the same over, bowled by Lance Morris.
That left Babar Azam and captain Mohammad Rizwan to steer Pakistan to an important victory. The pair put on a further 58 for the third wicket before Babar ended the chase in the 27th over when he hit Adam Zampa for four to take Pakistan to 143-2.
Pakistan won with 139 balls to spare.
“This is a special moment for me because we know our nation will be happy,” Rizwan said. “They don't always get what they expect from us as a team. Today we are happy as a team because our nation will be happy.”
The Pakistan pacemen have dominated the series since Australia won the opening match by two wickets in Melbourne. Pakistan leveled the series when it won the second match by nine wickets in Adelaide when Australia was bowled out for 163 with Haris Rauf taking 5-29.
As a result, Rizwan had no hesitation in choosing to bowl when the he won the toss Sunday. Naseem Shah dismissed Jake Fraser-McGurk in the fourth over, Rauf dismissed Aaron Hardie in the seventh and Shaheen Shah Afridi removed Aidan Hardie in the 11th and from there Australian wickets fell at regular intervals.
Shaheen finished with 3-32, Naseem took 3-34 and Rauf took 2-24 from seven overs as Australia was bowled out for its lowest total at home in a decade.
The Australia batters looked particularly vulnerable against the short ball on a lively pitch and allrounder Cooper Connolly retired hurt on 7 after being struck in the hand by Mohammad Hasnain.
Fraser-McGurk and Short struggled for form in the first two matches, sharing partnerships of 19 in the first match and 21 in the second. They started positively this time, taking 12 runs from the first over but were separated with the total on 20 when Fraser-McGurk was caught at second slip by Rizwan from Naseem's bowling.
Hardie reached 12 from 13 balls when he also edged to second slip from Shaheen, who caused a ball to nip away off the seam.
Josh Inglis captained Australia for the first time in his home town and came to the crease after learning he had been included in Australia's 13-man squad for the first test against India. His celebrations were cut short when he skied an attempted pull off Naseem to Rizwan when on 7.
“It's disappointing. We just didn't get enough runs on the board,” Inglis said.
Short grafted his way to 22 from 30 balls and then picked out square leg from Rauf's bowling when Australia was 72-4. Connolly retired hurt with the total on 79 and Glenn Maxwell also fell to Rauf on that total for a duck.
The rest followed in procession but for Sean Abbott who made a defiant 30 from 41 balls and had support from Spencer Johnson who finished 12 not out.
Sunday's win was a major confidence boost to Pakistan as it prepares to host the ICC Champions Trophy tournament early next year.
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T'gana BC panel seeks reports over infant's death, family alleges caste abuse
Hyderabad (PTI): The Telangana Commission for Backward Classes on Monday sought reports from state government officials on the death of an infant following alleged assault and caste abuse against her family members in Nagarkurnool district while visiting a temple fair.
In separate letters, Commission Chairman G Niranjan urged Endowments Department Commissioner S Harish and Nagarkurnool district Collector Badavath Santhosh to furnish the reports within three days.
Niranjan drew the officials' attention to media reports on the death of the two-month-old baby at Kummera village in the district and alleged caste discrimination and denial of entry to the temple fair to the baby's family belonging to a BC community.
BJP OBC Morcha's state unit president G Anand Goud alleged inadequate response by the police in the incident and demanded a transparent investigation into the incident.
Alleging that the deceased baby's father was attacked in the incident, he also demanded action against the attackers.
Goud told reporters that BJP's state unit president N Ramachander Rao would visit the village on February 24 and meet the baby's family members.
Meanwhile, a BRS delegation met DGP B Shivadhar Reddy and demanded a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
The BRS leaders sought action against a person who allegedly attacked the infant's parents.
BC associations have held protests over the past few days regarding the alleged caste discrimination against the deceased infant's family members.
Police said on Sunday that four persons were arrested in connection with the cases registered after the family alleged that the baby died following an "assault" by a group of villagers. The family also alleged that they were abused in the name of caste in the incident on February 18.
However, a villager, part of the group, lodged a counter-complaint with the police the same day, alleging that he was attacked with stones during a scuffle with the family, sustaining a head injury, following which a case was registered.
The infant died on February 21 and her mother, who belongs to an SC community, also lodged a complaint alleging her daughter died due to the physical assault on the family by some villagers, police said.
