PAK vs AUS prediction: Who will win the 2nd ODI?
Australia and Pakistan will lock horns in the second game of the three-match ODI series on Thursday, March 31. The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the encounter.
Australia, led by Aaron Finch, made an impressive start to their campaign in the ODI series. Despite not having some of their key players, the visiting team put their best foot forward and won the match by 88 runs. They also took an all-important 1-0 lead in the series.
After being put into bat first, Australia racked up a massive score of 313 for seven in their 50 overs. Travis Head, who had a terrific campaign in the 2021-22 Ashes, carried his form into the shorter format. The left-hander churned out a terrific century and pushed Pakistan on the backfoot.
Head scored 101 off 72 balls and played at a strike rate of 140.28. His knock, laced with 12 fours and three sixes, put the Aussies in a position of command. Ben McDermott lent him the much-needed support, scoring 55 useful runs off 70 balls with the help of four fours.
Later, Cameron Green’s unbeaten 30-ball knock of 40 took the visitors past the 300-run mark. Fast bowler Haris Rauf and leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood picked up two wickets apiece for Pakistan.
Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah also accounted for one wicket each. The pace bowling duo of Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim Jr. had off days as they both bowled at an economy of over seven.
Pakistan lost the early wicket of Fakhar Zaman in their run-chase, but Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam restored sanity into proceedings. Imam and Babar put on 96 runs for the second wicket and helped the hosts make a comeback.
However, once Mitchell Swepson dismissed Babar, who scored 57 with six fours, the rest of the Pakistan batting collapsed. Imam, in the meantime, was the lone ranger for the Men in Green. The left-hander scored 103 runs off 96 balls before Nathan Ellis accounted for his wicket.
Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with four wickets. Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 225 in 45.2 overs.
Will Australia (AUS) beat Pakistan (PAK)?
Australia defied the odds and came up with a resounding win on Tuesday. But Pakistan will be desperate to make a comeback in their must-win encounter. The team batting first is expected to win the next game.
Prediction: The team batting first to win the match.