October 1988 – Pakistan win
Scorecard
What was meant to be a four-match series became a one-off decider. The first match was abandoned with a flooded ground and two other scheduled games were cancelled because of riots. In scheduling flexibility that seems unthinkable today, the rest day of the third Test in Lahore was cancelled and a 45-over one-day game was organised to be played on the same pitch a day later. Geoff Marsh top scored for Australia with 89 off 126 as Wasim Akram claimed three wickets in Australia’s 8-229. Pakistan replied with 7-229, led by Mudassar Nazar’s 76no. Pakistan took the win by losing less wickets in their 45-overs.
June 2002 – Pakistan win
Scorecard
Australia and Pakistan split the matches at Docklands and looked to be on top of Pakistan in the decider at the Gabba, until a rearguard innings by Wasim Akram lifted them to a fighting 256. Shoaib Akhtar’s raw pace then blew away the Aussies with three wickets in as many overs, spectacularly bowling Ricky Ponting with an in-swinging yorker, then nicked off Michael Bevan as the visitors romped home by 91 runs.
September 2012 – Australia win
Scorecard
Australia won the series opener in Sharjah, lost the second match in Abu Dhabi to set up the decider, back in Sharjah. Pakistan went in with four spinners but Mitchell Starc’s left-arm pace claimed four wickets as Pakistan made 7-244. Australia’s run-chase looked in a spot of bother at 5-159, and Michael Hussey was fortunate to escape lbw decision when on naught – Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq chose not to review – and he made them pay, compiling 65 while Glenn Maxwell’s composed 56no steered Australia home by three wickets.
April 2022 – Pakistan win
Scorecard
A three-match series that was played entirely in Lahore marked Australia’s long-awaited return to Pakistan. Aaron Finch’s men won the opener, lost the second match then were put to the sword in the decider as Pakistan stormed home to win by nine wickets. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf knocked over the top order and Alex Carey’s fifty helped Australia limp to 210. That was quickly overhauled by an unbeaten 190-run stand by Babar Azam (105) and Imam-ul-Haq (89).
November 2024- Pakistan win
Scorecard
A famous series win for Pakistan – and their first on Aussie soil since that 2002 Gabba decider – came after two dominant performances by the Mohammed Rizwan-led side. Australia had narrowly won the opener at the MCG, getting home off the bat of Pat Cummins, but then lost the second match in Adelaide by nine wickets. Worse was to follow in the decider in Perth as they capitulated in the series decider as Pakistan’s four-pronged pace attack made the most of a bouncy Perth Stadium pitch to skittle a short-handed Australia side that did not field any Test stars for 140 in just 31.5 overs. Pakistan then cantered to an eight-wicket win with more than 23 overs remaining.
But that’s not the whole story….
Pakistan has the edge in bilateral series deciders between the two nations. But it’s a very different stat line when you look at the record between Australia and Pakistan in ICC events or multi-team tournaments.
1987 ODI World Cup semi-final: Australia won by 18 runs in Lahore (and went on to win the tournament)
1990 B&H World Series Finals: Australia won best-of-three series 2-0 at home
1990 Austral-Asia Cup Final: Pakistan won by 36 runs in Sharjah
1994 Tri-Series Final: Australia won by 64 runs
1999 ODI World Cup Final: Australia won by eight wickets at Lord’s
2000 CUB Series Finals: Australia won best-of-three series 2-0 at home
2001 Tri-Series Final: Australia won by nine wickets at Lord’s
2004 Videocon Cup final: Australia won by 17 runs in Amsterdam
2005 VB Series Finals: Australia won best-of-three series 2-0 at home
2015 ICC ODI World Cup quarter-final: Australia won by six wickets (and went on to win the tournament)
Qantas Tour of Pakistan & Bangladesh 2026
Australia squad for Pakistan ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa
Pakistan squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufiyan Muqeem
May 30: First ODI, Pakistan won by five wickets
June 2: Second ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST
June 4: Third ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST
Australia squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa
June 9: First ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
June 11: Second ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
June 14: Third ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
Australia squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa
June 17: First T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
June 19: Second T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
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