Pak vs Aus: Travis Head feels wicket at Gaddafi Stadium was 'different'
Mar 30, 2022
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 : After playing a match-winning knock against Pakistan in the first ODI, Australia batter Travis Head said that the wicket at Lahore was 'different'.
Travis Head's century and two-wicket haul helped visitors register a comprehensive 88-run victory here at the Gadaffi stadium to take a 1-0 lead.
"Nice to get a look at the top, and to take the opportunity. We thought it would be tough to bowl in the end with the dew and that's why we wanted to get as much as we wanted. It was a different wicket and there were quite a bit of unknowns. Nice win. We needed it," said Travis Head in a post-match presentation.
Chasing a massive 314-run target Pakistan's team needed a flying start like Australia but they lost the wicket of opener Fakhar Zaman for 18.
Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam then struck a partnership to take the total beyond the 50-run mark in 9.5 overs. The duo also went on to add 50-runs for the second wicket.
Hosts Pakistan reached the triple-figure mark in the 21st over and skipper Babar Azam went on to score his half-century. The 96-run stand was finally broken when debutant leg-break bowler Mitchell Swepson dismissed the Pakistan captain for 57 from 72 balls.
From there on hosts kept on losing wickets at regular intervals with Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed being dismissed cheaply.
Imam-ul-Haq was the only batter to keep fighting as he scored a brilliant ton hitting six fours and three sixes.
Adam Zampa bagged four wickets for 35 runs in his 10 overs and Travis Head chipped in with two wickets to have a memorable day with both bat and ball. Debutant Swepson and Nathan Ellis took two wickets and one wicket respectively to bowl out Pakistan for 225 in 45.2 overs.
