Crisis manager Cummins guides Australia to tense win over Pakistan

Pat Cummins leads Australia to victory with bat and ball in thrilling ODI against Pakistan at MCG.

Pat Cummins proved once more he is the man for a batting crisis as he guided world champions Australia to a tense two-wicket win in their series-opening one-day international against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday (November 4, 2024).

Playing his first ODI since last year's World Cup in India, Cummins produced a nerveless knock of 32 from 31 balls to push the hosts past Pakistan's modest total of 203 with 16.3 overs to spare.

Cummins, who also took two wickets, burnished his record of guiding Australia to victory from positions of peril, having scored the winning runs during the Ashes test at Edgbaston last year and twice hung tough with the bat at the World Cup.

"Tonight we got it done. I always much prefer sitting in the change-room but a wonderful match," Cummins said.

"It got a bit tighter than we would have liked in the end. Really happy with how the guys bowled, everyone really."

The hosts were in trouble at 155 for seven when Cummins came to the crease, with Pakistan sniffing their first win in Australia in nearly eight years and energised by a three-wicket burst by paceman Haris Rauf.

Tailender Sean Abbott was run out for 13 to leave Australia needing 19 runs with two wickets in hand but Cummins and Mitchell Starc (two not out) held on.