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Thanks to Haris Rauf's 5 wickets for 29 runs and opener Sam Ayub's 82 runs off 71 balls, Pakistan defeated Australia by nine wickets in the second ODI at Adelaide Oval and leveled the three-match ODI series with 23.3 overs remaining. Haris Rauf made the most headlines in this match. His fast pace destroyed Australia's batting for the second consecutive match. After his brilliant performance in Melbourne, Rauf also showed his excellence in fast bowling and took five wickets in this match and became the Player of the Match.
The dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne was special for him - the ball straightened from the seam and Labuschagne edged and went into Rizwan's hands. Rauf's spell shook the Australian middle order. Four of his five catches were taken by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. He took six catches and set the record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in ODIs.
Australia struggled from the start, falling from a modest 79-2 to be all out for 163. Steven Smith's 35 top-scored in a batting display that left the world champions exposed, especially on a pitch that turned deadly of late. Despite a green layer of grass, Pakistan's run chase later proved that the conditions were not as challenging as the Australians made them out to be.
Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique provided Pakistan with a solid base in their modest chase. After a slow start, Ayub started the chase with a series of brilliant strokes. He was cautious initially, managing just seven runs off 27 balls, but a well-timed square drive off Josh Hazlewood opened up his innings.
From that moment on, Ayub dominated, sending Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc into the stands and hitting Adam Zampa for a six. His half-century off 52 balls included a sensational pick-up flick off Starc for a six, a shot that reflected his growing confidence.
Although he just missed out on a hundred, caught at third man after a brilliant opening partnership of 137 runs, Ayub's efforts had effectively sealed the game. Shafiq, who initially took a backseat, later joined in the fun, reaching his half-century off 57 balls by hitting Zampa for a six. Pakistan won, with Babar Azam completing the chase in style by hitting Zampa for a six
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