LIVE: Aussies set 285 after Rizwan century

LIVE: Aussies set 285 after Rizwan century

No.4 hits maiden ODI hundred to leave tourists with big total to chase in Sharjah

Mohammad Rizwan's maiden ODI ton has spearheaded a powerful comeback from Pakistan, who have set Australia a venue-record target of 285 in Sharjah.

Nathan Lyon's dismissal of dangerman Umar Akmal, who picked out Peter Handscomb in the deep, reduced Pakistan to 4-112 in the 23rd over on Sunday.

Australia were in the box seat to take a 2-0 series lead at that point but keeper Rizwan and captain Shoaib Malik steadied in style, forming a 127-run partnership that powered the hosts to 7-284.

Aaron Finch's team hauled in 281 to win the series opener at the same venue on Friday but it was the second highest successful chase in Sharjah, which has hosted more ODIs than any other venue in the world.

They will now need to equal the venue record, which is the West Indies' 4-285 against Pakistan in 1993, to ensure the series isn't locked at 1-1 when the third game starts in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Sunday's total would have been more imposing if not for a piece of magic from Glenn Maxwell, who had a mixed day in the field.

Maxwell held a juggled catch on the boundary to end Rizwan's game-changing knock of 115, with the third umpire stewing over every angle available before deciding it was a legal catch.

Maxwell put down a far more simple catch in almost the same position, when Malik was on 52 and Adam Zampa was bowling.

Malik couldn't make the most of his reprieve, scoring a further eight runs before he attempted to clatter Zampa for a six and picked out Maxwell once again.

Finch will be frustrated by the way his team let Pakistan back into the game but the absence of paceman Jhye Richardson, who was forced to leave the field in the 11th over because of a dislocated shoulder, was a factor.

Richardson, who seized control of the contest by firing out openers Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood, was unable to add to his five overs and now faces an anxious wait as medicos assess the severity of the setback he suffered diving to stop a ball in the deep.

Finch removed Haris Sohail, who scored his maiden ODI ton on Friday, and finished with tidy figures of 1-41 from 10 overs.

Australia named an unchanged XI, with rested spearhead Pat Cummins likely to return in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan XI: Shan Masood, Imam Ul Haq, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik (c), Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa

Source : https://www.cricket.com.au/news/match-report/pakistan-australia-match-report-second-odi-sharjah-video-highlights/2019-03-25