Jamshed hits 97 as Pakistan beats South Africa in 2nd ODI to levels series 1-1

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Pakistan opening batsman Nasir Jamshed smashed a brilliant 97 to help his team beat Australia by seven wickets in their second one-day international on Friday, levelling the series 1-1.

After Michael Hussey’s 61 helped Australia score 248-9, Pakistan chased down the target with 38 balls and seven wickets to spare, with the left-handed Jamshed hitting 11 fours and two sixes.

Jamshed cut, pulled and drove imperiously in his 98-ball knock as the Australians found it difficult to bowl with the ball getting wet because of heavy dew.

Jamshed laid a solid foundation of 66 with Mohammad Hafeez (23) before putting on further 101 with Azhar Ali (59 not out) as Australia captain Michael Clarke used eight bowlers without much success in energy-sapping humidity.

Australia had won the first match by four wickets at Sharjah which hosts the series decider on Monday.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq hit the winning boundary to remain unbeaten on 35 and put on 56 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket stand with Ali.

Jamshed and Hafeez attacked the Australian seamers from the outset before Daniel Christian had the latter caught in the deep by Michael Hussey.

However, Jamshed continued to flourish and dominated the second-wicket century stand with some exquisite drives on both sides of the wicket.

Clarke seemed to run out of ideas and even called up Michael Hussey to bowl his off spinners for the first time in two years in an ODI, but to no success.

The wet ball was so much frustrating for the Aussies that the former world No. 1 ranked side gave away 20 wides — the most conceded by them in a one-day international against Pakistan.

Earlier, Michael Hussey’s half century off 72 balls put Australia back on the track after Pakistan’s spinners struck early to reduce Australia to 87-4 with the top order batsmen struggling to come to terms with the slow bowlers.

Offspinner Saeed Ajmal took 4-32, but Michael Hussey featured in two productive partnerships — adding 66 with George Bailey (39) followed by another 58 off 48 balls with Glenn Maxwell (28).

Opening batsman David Warner (24) took 19 deliveries to get off the mark but somehow managed to put on 66 runs for the second wicket with Clarke (37) before Pakistan hit back through its spinners.

Warner’s agonizing knock off 68 balls ended when Ajmal trapped him leg before wicket, while Clarke was also judged lbw off Hafeez.

Hussey’s brother David followed soon after without scoring when Ajmal won another lbw decision, but Australia’s Twenty20 captain Bailey resurrected the innings with Hussey by featuring in a half century stand.

Pakistan’s sloppy fielding also cost it dearly as its fielders missed three run-outs and Asad Shafiq dropped Maxwell at mid-wicket when the batsman was on 21.

Ajmal returned to remove Hussey and Maxwell in the space of five deliveries but not before the pair had ensured Australia put on a competitive total.

Hussey hit two sixes and just one four, but rotated the strike with 1s and 2s before he was clean bowled by Ajmal while attempting a tired-looking big hit on the on side.

Maxwell followed when he was beaten by Ajmal’s “doosra” and was stumped. Daniel Christian (18) hit two fours and Mitchell Starc also hit two boundaries off Sohail Tanvir’s last two balls of the innings.

While Australia went with an unchanged side, Pakistan made two changes from the team that lost the first ODI. Mercurial allrounder Shahid Afridi was forced to sit out due to a back problem and was replaced by leftarm spinner Abdur Rehman.

Leftarm fast bowler Junaid Khan, who came in for Aizaz Cheema, ended up by taking 3-52.