Pakistan completed a historic clean sweep of Australia in the ODI series with a commanding 4-wicket victory in the third and final match at Lahore. Shaheen Shah Afridi was the match-defining force, his hostile, swinging spell dismantling Australia's batting lineup to bowl them out for just 157 in 42 overs — the second consecutive below-par Australian total in this series. Pakistan's chase was nervy at times, slipping to 116/6 before Abdul Samad and Shadab Khan steadied the ship, but the target was ultimately reached at 161/6 in 41.5 overs with 49 balls to spare. Arafat Minhas — the hero of the first ODI with his 5/32 — was named Player of the Series for his outstanding contributions across the three matches.

Australia Innings: Shaheen Ends the Tour in Ruthless Fashion

A match delay at the start hinted at a difficult day for Australia, and so it proved. The powerplay produced just 41/1 — a cautious opening that reflected the swing and movement Shaheen and Pakistan's seamers were generating from the first over. A Pakistan DRS bowling review in over 11.4 for Josh Inglis' wicket was struck down, offering Australia's most threatening batter a reprieve that he briefly capitalised upon.

Inglis brought up his fifty off 56 balls — 5 fours and 1 six — his third meaningful contribution of the series, and combined with Alex Carey in a 50-run third-wicket stand in 56 balls to take Australia to 100 in 22.4 overs. For a brief period the innings looked like it might produce a competitive total. But Shaheen Afridi was relentless, his left-arm swing and pace breaking through the middle order with surgical precision. By drinks at 131/7 in 31.1 overs — OJ Peake on just 4 — the innings was effectively over as a contest.

A Pakistan DRS bowling review for Cameron Green's wicket in over 25.5 was struck down on umpire's call, denying them a breakthrough that arrived regardless by other means. Australia reached 150 in 38.1 overs, and an Australian DRS batting review for Kuhnemann's wicket in over 39.4 was upheld — a rare piece of fortune that only delayed the inevitable. The third powerplay produced a catastrophic 3 runs for 2 wickets, as Shaheen's spell completed the damage. Australia were bowled out for 157 in 42 overs — Kuhnemann stranded on 9 — their second consecutive sub-200 total of the series. Shaheen Afridi's Player of the Match spell was the most incisive bowling performance on Pakistani soil in this series.

Pakistan Chase: Wobble Before the Win

Chasing 158 should have been straightforward but Pakistan made hard work of it, losing 2 wickets in the powerplay while scoring 45 runs. A Pakistan DRS batting review in over 7.3 for Maaz Sadaqat's wicket was struck down, keeping their batter in the middle briefly, but the wickets continued to fall as the chase became unexpectedly tense.

At drinks Pakistan were 71/3 in 16 overs — Babar Azam on 21 and Salman Agha just arrived — the match still alive but the required rate entirely manageable. Babar survived an Australian DRS bowling review in over 21.5, and Pakistan crossed 100 in 26.4 overs as the chase continued to grind forward without ever feeling comfortable. A second drinks break at 116/6 in 32 overs — Abdul Samad on 1 and Shadab Khan on 3 — brought the match to its most precarious point, six wickets down with 42 still needed from the remaining overs.

But the target was simply too small for the tail to lose, and Pakistan crossed 150 in 40.2 overs before completing the chase at 161/6 in 41.5 overs — winning by 4 wickets with 49 balls to spare. It was not a vintage Pakistani batting performance, but the result was what mattered — a 3-0 series sweep that confirms Pakistan's complete dominance on home soil.

A Magnificent Series for Pakistan

Pakistan's 3-0 series sweep against Australia is one of the most comprehensive home series victories in recent Pakistani ODI history. Arafat Minhas — the Player of the Series — took 5/32 in the first ODI and contributed across all three matches to establish himself as Pakistan's most exciting emerging bowling talent. Shaheen Shah Afridi's devastating form in the third ODI was the perfect finale, his swing bowling proving too much for an Australian side that never found their footing throughout the tour. Babar Azam and Ghazi Ghori's batting contributions in the first and third ODIs, combined with the bowling depth of Shaheen and Minhas, made Pakistan an irresistible force throughout the series.

Key Moments

  • Australia's third powerplay of just 3/2 was the most catastrophic passage of their innings — a collapse that confirmed Pakistan's bowling dominance.
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi's match-winning spell was the defining performance of the third ODI and the perfect series finale.
  • Josh Inglis' 50 off 56 was Australia's only sustained batting resistance in a disappointing team display.
  • Pakistan's collapse to 116/6 in the chase briefly raised Australian hopes that quickly evaporated.
  • Arafat Minhas' Player of the Series award capped an extraordinary breakout ODI series for the young Pakistan fast bowler.