Australia vs Pakistan, first ODI: Captain Cummins leads hosts to nervy win

Cummins’s all-round performance took Australia to a two-wicket win in Melbourne for a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

Australia’s captain Pat Cummins has guided his team home to a tense two-wicket win over Pakistan after a brief wobble in their run-chase in the first one-day international (ODI) in Melbourne.

Cummins scored 32 crucial runs and took two wickets as Australia chased 204 despite a late Pakistani fightback, and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Monday.

Pakistan were dismissed for 203 in 46.4 overs after being asked to bat first as their batters failed to cope with the Australian pace attack on a fast and bouncy pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia, who won the ODI World Cup in India in 2023, were coasting towards the target with Steve Smith and Josh Inglis at the crease at 113-2 after 16.2 overs.

However, the visitors posed a brief threat to the world champions when their fast bowlers combined to take five wickets for 45 runs and opened up the match.