Fri Nov 08 05:00:13 UTC 2024: ## Pakistan Opt to Bowl First, Seek Series Leveler in Adelaide

**Adelaide, Australia:** Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Friday. The decision came after Australia narrowly won the first ODI in Melbourne by two wickets.

Pakistan remained unchanged from their Melbourne performance, while Australia brought in Josh Hazlewood to replace Sean Abbott.

The first few overs saw a tense battle, with Shaheen Shah Afridi striking early to remove opener Jake Fraser-McGurk for 13. However, a dropped catch by Afridi allowed Matt Short to survive, leading to a 21-run opening partnership.

Steve Smith, who arrived at the crease after Short’s dismissal, quickly settled in and began to build a dangerous partnership with Josh Inglis.

The pair put on 18 runs for the third wicket before Haris Rauf broke the stand, dismissing Inglis for a well-played 29. Smith, however, continued to dominate, reaching his first fifty of the series.

At the end of the 19th over, Australia were 93 for 4, with Smith and Aaron Hardie looking to guide the hosts to a respectable total.

The match is poised for an exciting finish, with Pakistan’s bowlers seeking to keep the pressure on Australia and level the series.

**The two teams line up as follows:**

**Australia:** Matthew Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

**Pakistan:** Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Agha Salman (vc), Irfan Khan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Shaheen Afridi

**The match is being played at the Adelaide Oval and is live on television.**

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