finally Imam ends the suspense by charging and smashing this to smithereens over the sightscreen to end the match and clinch a 2-1 victory for Pakistan in style! It landed just short of the rope before skidding through the LCD ad boards. Four or six, it matters not. Pakistan have come back from a 1-0 deficit to record an impressive series win and take another 10 points in the Cricket World Cup Super League points table.
Pakistan vs Australia, 3rd ODI at Lahore, PAK v AUS, Apr 02 2022 - Ball by Ball Commentary
9.32 pm ESPNcricinfo stats man Sampath Bandarupalli says this is Pakistan's first ODI series win vs Australia since 2002. In the immediate term, it also means Pakistan breaks a deadlock with New Zealand and West Indies to now move into sole possession of eight place on the Cricket World Cup Super League points table with 60 points from 12 matches. Pakistan still have 12 ODIs left in the competition, and only the top 7 not including hosts India (currently in third place on the table) clinch automatic berths in the 2023 ICC World Cup.
Imam-Ul-Haq after his unbeaten 89*: "The way the boys came back from the first match, it just comes into the self-belief and the trust we have in each other. We talked a lot and said we really need to step up. You can't perform in every game but hats off to the boys the way they stepped up. I'm a mature player now and working hard for the last one and a half years and want to thank almighty Allah. The way things are changing up for me, I really want to thank Babar. He's my best friend and we really help each other, and my coaches, I really want to thank everyone. Fakhar got out early, but we knew we were in good form me and Babar. We just wanted to stay in the crease and we knew if we did, the runs will come. It was not a high amount of runs, it was just 211, so we wanted to just stay calm, have good shape, good intent, punish the loose balls and we were lucky today. [On his critics] I respect everyone and I really thank almighty Allah [when] they criticize me. The thing which I have changed in myself is that I just can control what is in my control and that is my cricket. I really want to focus on that. If you play in a match for Pakistan against any team, you will be criticized."
Babar Azam is unsurprisingly named Player of the Match.
Australia captain Aaron Finch: "We didn't get enough runs. When you go three down in the first few overs, it's always going to be hard to get a total. But I thought our guys fought really hard. With the ball in hand, we tried a lot of different things but two class guys put on a clinic tonight. We just wanted to keep being attacking and aggressive through the whole [first] innings. We knew that if we got 200, you're probably never going to win the game unless everything goes perfectly for you with the ball. So you're still trying to get above 260-270 and sometimes you risk losing some wickets and making that 200 instead of just going to 220 or 230 anyway. Travis and Ben played really well throughout the series. I think with the ball, Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Adam Zampa bowled excellent throughout all three games. I thought there were a lot more positives than negatives. It was just we were on the receiving end of a couple of great knocks from Babar and Imam. It's been amazing to play here in Pakistan in front of some great fans. They've been supportive of great cricket regardless of whether it's Australia playing well or Pakistan. So we're very thankful for that."
The Player of the Series award, including the new car goes to... drumroll please..... Babar Azam. Babar's 276 runs in this series are the fourth most in a three-run ODI series by a Pakistan batter. Imam's 298 runs are third. They're both behind... Babar Azam's 360 runs against West Indies in 2016-17.
That's it from ESPNcricinfo's live ball-by-ball coverage of this ODI series. On behalf of Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan, thanks a bunch for following along. Stay tuned for post-match reporting from Tristan Lavalette and Danyal Rasool. And come back Tuesday for the one-off T20I! I'm Peter Della Penna, take care!
Majidzafar: "Watching from Dubai while keep my business on hold xd"
another good length ball defended to the leg side.
Syed Muhammad S: "Watching from Sunny Bristol, UK. Some of my friends are watching from Benghazi, Libya."
full on fifth stump, guided to backward point.
Hassan : "Following from Islamabad."
another charge to a full ball on fifth stump, miscues a heave to mid-on and turns Babar back.
Dr. Adnan: "Watching from China. Waiting for sehri with Pakistan winning the series"
a charge to a full ball on fourth stump and blocked back to the bowler.
Rishav Chand: "Following from Kongens Lyngby (Greater Copenhagen Area) while working on my PhD thesis. Babar has surely come of age :)"
Labuschagne switches around the wicket to Imam.
Umair: "Watching from North Carolina - USA". Who's gonna win tonight? Blue Devils or Tar Heels?
good length ball angled into the pads, flicked through midwicket for a double to level the scores.
Ayub Shinwari: "Following from Kabul, Afghanistan after having 1st Iftari, really enjoying the way Babar and Imam Played Today :) "
slower ball lands full on sixth stump at 112 kph, punched straight to mid-off.
Imran: "Witnessing this great moment from Hong Kong."
slower ball short on the stumps, pulled through the leg side for one.
Farooq: "Following from Casablanca Morocco"
full on middle, flicked along the turf through midwicket for two.
Srinath : "Being an Indian based in Connecticut, US, I haven't been as excited about a Pakistan team since the time of Wasim and Waqar! Babar, Rizwan, Imam, Shaheen! What great ambassadors for the sport! "
good length ball on off, defended.
Osman Pirzada: "Following from Jersey City, NJ. Baaaaaabar babar !!!!" Home of the St. Peter's Peacocks. Babar is puffing out his feathers for sure in this knock to put an exclamation point on the series.
full outside off, poked through the ring easily for two.
Aafaq : "Wonderful inning by Babar And Imam, following from Istanbul Airport on way to Lahore, Pakistan. "
full on the stumps, flicked away for one.
Farhan Mumtaz: "Following from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia."
good length ball poked away for one.
Majid Ali: "Majid Ali from Muzaffar garh Pakistan"
edge! Full on sixth stump and prods at this but is beaten by the turn. Very fine edge beats Carey apparently. I thought it missed everything but the umpire gave no signal. UltraEdge does confirm an edge.
Umar: "Newark, NJ, USA! " The birthplace of Shaquille O'Neal and a few miles away from where I went to high school. Represent!
full on the stumps, defended.
Usamah: "Following from Bradford, England - Ready for a Babar 100". Wait no more Usamah!
tossed up and bashed away to bring up another Babar century! Number 16 brings roars from the home crowd with victory on the horizon! Full and wide, invites the drive and Babar obliges with a drive wide of the sweeper for two. He lifts off the helmet and raises the bat high to acknowledge the crowd before performing the Sajdah.
Tayyab: "Calgary, Canada"
low full toss on fifth stump flicked to mid-on for one.
Ahsan : "Following the game mid-air enroute from Frankfurt to Riyadh on LH 636". Always nice to know we have fans cruising at 36,000 feet.
full on off at 139 kph, punched back past Behrendorff but stopped at mid-off.
Anil: "Babbar babbar ......From Pokhara, Nepal "
short on the body, pulled to deep backward square for one to put Babar back on strike and the chants ring around the ground once again.
Ghafoor Ahmad : "Following from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"
back of a length on sixth stump, cuts this behind point for two and a diving stop by Head at the rope saves two more. Australia not giving up despite a hopeless situation.