You don’t usually see Australia get bullied at home. It just doesn't happen. But at the Adelaide Oval, during the pakistan vs australia 2nd odi, that’s exactly what went down. Pakistan didn’t just win; they essentially dismantled the world champions in a way that felt personal.
Honestly, if you looked at the scorecard without watching the game, you’d think it was a typo. Australia all out for 163? Pakistan winning by nine wickets with nearly 24 overs to spare? It sounds like a simulation, but for the fans in the stands on November 8, 2024, it was a masterclass in aggressive, fearless pace bowling.
The Haris Rauf Show: More Than Just Speed
Most people think Haris Rauf is just about "pace is pace, yaar." But in the pakistan vs australia 2nd odi, he proved he’s evolved into a tactician. He knows these Australian decks. Having spent significant time with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, he didn't just run in and bang it halfway down. He targeted the "corridor of uncertainty" with a mean streak.
Rauf’s final figures of 5 for 29 tell a story of absolute dominance. He wasn't just taking wickets; he was breaking the spirit of the Australian middle order. Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell—they all looked like they were batting on a different pitch than the Pakistanis.
One delivery to Labuschagne stands out. It was a fast, lifting delivery that caught the edge and flew to Mohammad Rizwan. It wasn't just a wicket; it was a statement. When Maxwell dragged a Rauf delivery onto his stumps after trying to reverse-sweep, you could almost hear the collective groan from the Aussie dugout.
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A Historic Night for the Record Books
This wasn't just another win. It was a massive monkey off Pakistan's back. Before this match, Pakistan hadn't won an ODI at the Adelaide Oval in 28 years. The last time they tasted victory there was in 1996 when Wasim Akram was still leading the charge.
- Venue: Adelaide Oval, Australia.
- Result: Pakistan won by 9 wickets (141 balls remaining).
- Series Status: Tied at 1-1 (at that moment).
- Player of the Match: Haris Rauf (5/29).
Saim Ayub and the "No-Look" Revolution
When Pakistan started their chase of 164, everyone expected a bit of a wobble. That’s the Pakistan way, right? Not this time. Saim Ayub decided he wasn't interested in a long afternoon.
The young left-hander played an innings that felt like a highlight reel. He smashed 82 off 71 balls, including six massive sixes. He wasn't just hitting the ball; he was disrespecting some of the best bowlers in the world. Pulling Pat Cummins for six and then dancing down the track to Adam Zampa? It was bold. Kinda reckless at times, but exactly what Pakistan needed to shift the narrative.
Abdullah Shafique played the perfect foil. While Saim was lighting fireworks, Abdullah was a wall. He finished on 64 not out, playing with a level of composure that silenced the Adelaide crowd. Their 137-run opening stand was Pakistan's second-highest ever against Australia in Australia. That is a wild stat when you think about the legends who have opened for Pakistan over the decades.
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What Most People Get Wrong About This Game
There’s a narrative that Australia lost because they were "distracted" by the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Sure, some of the big names were being rested for the third ODI, but for the pakistan vs australia 2nd odi, Australia played a near full-strength side. Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Smith, Labuschagne—they were all there.
The truth is simpler: Pakistan's pacers were better. Shaheen Afridi set the tone early by removing the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short. Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain kept the pressure high. By the time Rauf came into the attack, the Australians were already looking over their shoulders.
Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy also deserves a shout. He was electric behind the stumps, taking six catches to equal the world record for most dismissals by a keeper in an ODI. He almost had a seventh, which would have broken the record, but a dropped catch late in the innings kept him at six. He didn't seem to mind, though; the win was clearly the priority.
Why This Win Still Matters for Pakistan Cricket
For a team that often struggles with consistency and internal drama, this victory was a blueprint. It showed that when Pakistan's pace battery is firing, they can beat anyone, anywhere. They didn't rely on spin. They didn't rely on Babar Azam to carry the entire batting lineup—though Babar did finish the game in style with a signature six.
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It also highlighted the emergence of a new generation. Saim Ayub isn't just a flashy T20 player; he’s a genuine threat in the 50-over format. His ability to take the game away from the opposition in the first ten overs is something Pakistan has lacked for a long time.
Insights for the Future
If you’re following this rivalry, there are a few things to keep in mind for future encounters:
- The Bounce Factor: Pakistan’s tall fast bowlers thrive on Australian pitches because they can extract extra bounce that Asian batsmen usually struggle with.
- Opening Aggression: The shift in Pakistan’s strategy to allow openers like Saim to play their natural game, regardless of the risk, is a huge tactical change.
- Rauf's Utility: Haris Rauf is no longer just a death bowler. Using him in the middle overs as a wicket-taking enforcer is clearly his most effective role.
The pakistan vs australia 2nd odi wasn't just a fluke result. It was a demolition that leveled the series and gave Pakistan the momentum they needed to eventually win the series 2-1 in Perth. It served as a reminder that in cricket, reputation means nothing if you can't handle 90mph thunderbolts aimed at your ribs.
If you want to understand the current state of Pakistan's ODI team, look back at this match. It’s the game where they stopped playing "safe" and started playing like the Pakistan of old—unpredictable, fast, and completely dominant.
To stay ahead of the next series, start tracking the fitness of the "Big Three" pacers (Shaheen, Naseem, and Rauf). When they are all healthy and playing together, Pakistan is a different beast entirely. You should also watch Saim Ayub’s development in the powerplay; he is the barometer for how aggressive this batting lineup will be in the coming years.