Former Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was all praise for the youngsters as Pakistan registered a historic ODI series victory over Australia. Pakistan won the final ODI encounter by 8 wickets to clinch the three-match series 2-1 to register their first ODI series win on Australian soil in 22 years. Akhtar praised fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah for their impressive performances and recalled his experiences of 2002 – the last time when Pakistan won in Australia.
“Outstanding win. After 22 years, we won against Australia. In 2002, I remember I was there. We had won a series in Gabba, and it took us 22 years for the players to win the series. And they did an amazing job. They played really well. There was an attitude change. Rizwan changed the attitude. Naseem, Haris, Shaheen. All of them played really well and at the same time they did a comprehensively good job,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan praised bowlers for their 2-1 ODI series win over Australia after beating Australia by eight wickets in the third and final match at Perth Stadium on Sunday.
This was Pakistan’s first ODI series win over the hosts in 22 years. Chasing a modest 141 target, Pakistan openers, Saim Ayub (42) and Abdullah Shafique (37) added 84-run partnership for the first wicket. Rizwan (30 not out) and Babar Azam (28 not out) knitted an unbroken 58-run partnership for the third wicket to take the side over the line in 26.5 overs.
Earlier, after being put into bat, Australia were bowled out for 140 in 31.5 overs. Sean Abbott (30) was the top run-getter for the losing side. Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah bagged three scalps each while Haris Rauf ended up taking two wickets.
“Special moment for me, the nation will be very happy today, we didn’t perform as per expectations in the last couple of years. I’m the captain only for the toss and presentations – everyone gives me suggestions on the field, the batting group and the bowling group,” Rizwan said in the post-match presentation.
“All the credit to the bowlers, Australia in Australia isn’t easy, the conditions suit their style of playing, but the bowlers were outstanding. Also credit to the two openers, they made the chases easy. They (fans) don’t care a lot about the results, but the people back home are always behind us and I want to dedicate this victory to them,” the wicketkeeper-batter added.
(With IANS inputs)
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