Travis Head marks ODI comeback with match-winning show to put Australia 1-0 up
Imam-ul-Haq's century goes in vain as Adam Zampa leads disciplined bowling attack to tie Pakistan down
Imam-ul-Haq's century goes in vain as Adam Zampa leads disciplined bowling attack to tie Pakistan down
Scorer: Binoy George | Commentator: @PeterDellaPenna
10.36 pm So the visitors continue their momentum from the end of the Test series. Travis Head was almost a one-man wrecking crew tonight. He scores the fastest ODI century by an Australian against Pakistan, then follows it up with two wickets and a catch in the field. Adam Zampa stars with four wickets as well.
Here is Adam Zampa: "The boys played really well. The opening batsmen set the tone early for us to put up a really competitive total. To be fair, we thought it was going to be a really tough chase for us to defend with the dew coming in. But our quick bowlers built some really good pressure at the start so we got results at the end. [About Daniel Vettori advice] It's all just tactical stuff. We do a bit of research on the opposition and then hash over the plans before we go out so try to keep it pretty simple. I think it stayed quite low and was skidding through. The dew came through later in the night. It started to spin late so we bowled slower to the tailenders. It's been great. It took us 24 years since the last time we were here, but we feel safe, we're happy, the crowds are amazing. [On Travis Head] I'm stoked for Travis. He's been out of the team for awhile and to get a 100 off 70 balls, it's a match-winning knock."
Umpire Aleem Dar is being recognized now by the PCB for standing in 500 international matches.
No surprises for Player of the Match going to Travis Head: "Nice to get a look at the top, get an opportunity and take it. I felt like we set the platform really well, Finchy and I, so we knew that with the dew coming in it may be tough to bowl later in the innings. So runs at the top against the new ball were going to be crucial and it was nice to play a role. It's a completely different wicket with a night game, so we played it how we see it. I thought we put on a great total and were able to defend it. It's nice to [bowl] when needed. It may not be the whole series but when the opportunity arises, I was able to do my job."
Pakistan captain Babar Azam: "We let them score too many runs in the first ten overs. We started poorly and then gave away too many runs at the death. While Imam and I were batting, we felt we had the chase under control but then lost wickets in clumps and couldn't recover."
Australia captain Aaron Finch: "We felt we probably needed around the 300 mark. Having no experience here in the past of what we felt like we needed to set, it was made a little bit easier by Travis Head getting off to a flyer. They bowled well through the middle part and through the back end of the innings which made it difficult for us to get away. We felt as though we needed an extra spinner based on how dry the square looked and how the Test wicket played as well. There's not a huge amount of grass out there. We come here with a real open mind to be flexible with the team we select and some different roles that the guys play so I'm really proud of the way that the guys took on that challenge. It's very wet now. The guys were struggling toward the back end to hold the ball. Like Babar said, if you get some in batters, it can be slightly easier. Once you expose a new batter, it can be a bit more difficult. So that's something we need to learn as well if we bat second, once you get someone in, you need to cash in big."
That'll do it for us from the coverage of the first ODI. Come back on Thursday for the second match in the series. On behalf of Alex Malcolm, I'm Peter Della Penna. Keep your eyes peeled for post-match reporting from Tristan Lavalette, Danyal Rasool and the rest of the ESPNcricinfo team. Take care!
Haris Rauf c Green b Swepson 7 (19m 17b 1x4 0x6) SR: 41.17
Faran: "Pakistan was 1-0 down at the start of the match with this bowling line-up. Pakistan is only playing with 3 specialist bowlers. Out of 3, Hasan Ali is out of form from a long time."
Swepson back in place of Zampa who has finished his 10.
Anwar Ahmad: "According to new rules, after the fall of Wasim Jr wicket, Zahid should have been on strike against Zampa." That's what I thought. Am confused myself!
MNK: "Definitely agree with AK. He simply seems to just roll his arm and there seems to be no effort in his bowling anymore. It was disappointing to see him play ahead of the other pacers in the Test Series. "
Imam-ul-Haq's century goes in vain as Adam Zampa leads disciplined bowling attack to tie Pakistan down
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