Australia again taking advantages of Pakistan’s mistakes won the third One Day International (ODI) at Perth on Thursday by 7 wickets, bringing the five-match series 2-1.
The home side replied the moderate total of 267 with 265 for three, winning with 30 balls to spare propped up by Skipper Steven Smith’s unbeaten 108 as he was awarded Player of the Match.
Skipper Smith and ODI debutant Peter Handscomb put on 183 for the third wicket in the chase to set their team on the path to victory.
Pakistan had chances to seize control of the match, but paid the price for basic errors.
When they claimed openers David Warner (35) and Usman Khawaja (nine) in five balls they had Australia wobbling at 45 for two.
One run later Handscomb was on his way back to the pavilion for a duck on debut, caught at first slip from the bowling of Junaid Khan. Australia should have been 46 for three, but Handscomb was recalled to the centre due to a front foot no-ball.
To make matters worse, Handscomb had another life on 10 when a simple catch was dropped at point, with Junaid again the aggrieved bowler.
It proved to be Pakistan’s undoing.
Handscomb eventually fell for 82 from 84 balls, but the game was safely in Australia’s hands by then. Smith brought up his eighth ODI century by pulling the 97th ball he faced to the mid-wicket boundary and finished unbeaten on 108.
