MELBOURNE, Nov 4: Captain Pat Cummins kept his nerve on his return to international cricket to lead Australia to a nervy two-wicket win over Pakistan in the first one-day international on Monday.
A calm Cummins made an unbeaten 32 off 31 balls to steer Australia to 204-8 with more than 16 overs to spare, after the middle-order had stumbled in a modest run chase.
Searing pace from Mitchell Starc (3-33) had earlier helped to bowl out Pakistan for 203 with Cummins, playing his first international since the T20 World Cup in June, picking up 2-39 after he won the toss and elected to field.
“It’s always nice to start the summer off in a positive way,” said Cummins. “We are looking for powerplay wickets … (and) it was a really positive effort with the ball. Maybe a little sloppy from us in the field.”
Josh Inglis (49) and Steve Smith (44) had the chase under control at 113-2 before Pakistan’s four-pronged pace attack had Australia reeling at 155-7 on a bouncy MCG wicket.
Fast bowler Haris Rauf (3-67) ignited the collapse when he had Smith caught at point and then Marnus Labuschagne (16) and Glenn Maxwell (0) were undone by pacey deliveries.
Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up 2-43, but Cummins added 30 runs with Sean Abbott before the skipper carried his side over the line for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Earlier, five of Pakistan’s six top-order batters, fresh from playing on spinning wickets at home against England, struggled to cope with the pace of Starc and Cummins.
Babar Azam, who was omitted from the last two test victories against England, made a fluent 37 as the rest of the top-order crumbled. (AP)
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