Despite a battling 65 from stand-in captain Josh Inglis and some magnificent bowling by Matt Kuhnemann, Australia were unable to stave off defeat in the deciding ODI of their three-match series in Pakistan.
Australia, who won the toss and batted first, were all out for 157 in 42 overs, their lowest ODI total in Pakistan, with Inglis lashing a stand-out 65.
But It never quite looked like being enough to seal the winner-takes-all encounter in Lahore and Pakistan eased to victory – and an overall 2-1 success – with four wickets to spare.
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Ghazi Ghori (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Arafat Minhas, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
Australia XI: Matt Short, Josh Inglis (c, wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Matthew Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Oliver Peake, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
Inglis said: “A bit like the first game (when Australia were bowled out for 200) we were just too many runs short.
“I thought the bowlers and the fielding group, in particular, made a great effort to put us in a position to potentially win the game, but it wasn’t to be in the end.”
After the start of the match had been delayed by 15 minutes because of a brief downpour, the hosts struck early. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who ended with figures of 3-30, had Matt Short caught at mid-on with the second ball of the innings.
However, there was always Inglis. Replacing Alex Carey as opener for the first time in the series, the stand-in skipper batted fluently, smashing Afridi for boundaries, then punishing Arafat Minhas with a muscular drive for four and a monstrous inside-out six over the covers.
Inglis profited on the offside, reverse-sweeping to good effect against the Pakistan spin but his teammates found the going a whole lot tougher.
Manus Labuschagne has toiled in ODIs and his contribution to this vital encounter was cut short by a bizzare and costly mix-up in the 12th over when Inglis did not return his call for a second run and he was left exposed to Minhas’s direct hit from the non-striker’s end.
Carey, who like Labuschagne had contributed 19 opposite Inglis, fell victim to one that nipped in and took his middle stump.
That sparked a collapse that saw Inglis and Cameron Green depart within three balls of each other to catches off the bowling of Afridi.
The Aussies subsided from 3-98 to 7-131, with the loss of Matt Renshaw, their best batter on the tour, caught at slip by Salman Ali Agha for just four a grievous blow.
Adam Zampa was the only tailender to reach double figures. He got to 10 before Shadab Khan ended his stay with one that stayed low.
When Pakistan came to reply, the Australian bowlers had no intention of going meekly. They could even dare to dream when Nathan Ellis sent back Sahibzada Farhan and Short removed Maaz Sadaqat to leave the hosts on 2-41.
When Kuhnemann got to work, spinning a web around the batters with a tremendous three-wicket haul, including the prized wicket of Babar, clean bowled, who had top-scored with 40, Pakistan knew they still had work to do against Aussie spin on a turning wicket.
Abdul Samad and Shadab Khan rose to the occasion, showing great composure to stitch together a crucial unbeaten 49-run stand to finish the job in style.
Afridi, the Pakistan captain, said: “It was a complete team effort throughout the series. The conditions were tough for the batters, but every run counted and the players put in a great effort. All our bowlers executed their plans well, and the credit goes to them.”
Pakistan had won the opening game in Rawalpindi by five wickets but when the action switched to Lahore on Tuesday, Australia levelled matters up with a 41-run victory to set the stage for Thursday’s showdown.
It was Pakistan’s third successive 2-1 ODI series victory – two at home, one away – over Australia.
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, Australia won by 41 runs
June 4: Third ODI, Pakistan won by four wickets
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
All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket
