Pakistan beat Australia by six wickets in the second one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, their first ODI win on Australian soil for 12 years.

The win was also Pakistan&#39;s first ODI victory at the MCG since 1985 and levels the five-match series at 1-1.

Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first on a flat-looking wicket, but Pakistan&#39;s opening pair Mohammad Amir (3-47) and Junaid Khan (2-40) bowled superbly to help restrict the home side to 220 all out.

They were backed up by left arm spinner Imad Wasim (2-37), whose 10-over spell in the middle of the innings tied the batsmen down and slowed the scoring.

The modest total never looked enough once Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez (72) and fellow opener Sharjeel Khan (29) had put on 68 for the first wicket.

Babar Azam chipped in with 34 before Shoaib Malik (42 not out) and Umar Akmal (18 not out) guided the visitors home with 2.2 overs to spare.

&quot;I think the bowlers did a great job for us,&quot; said Hafeez, who was also named man of the match.

&quot;We wanted to get a total on the board that we were comfortable with because the ball wasn&#39;t coming onto the bat.

&quot;The bowlers took wickets at the right time and kept the pressure on.&quot;

Australia went into the match without a recognised spinner and were made to pay the price on a two-paced wicket that favoured the slower bowlers.

Their seam attack did its best to restrict the Pakistan batting, with Josh Hazelwood (0-32) the most impressive despite not taking a wicket, and James Faulkner (2-35) effective with his changes of pace.

But the other bowlers were ineffective and expensive, with off-spinner Travis Head going for 23 runs off his 2.4 overs.

Amir and Junaid Khan set the tone early with their impressive opening spells.

Junaid,&nbsp;brought into the team in place of Wahab Riaz, induced an edge from the dangerous David Warner (16) to leave the Australians on 31-1.&nbsp;

Junaid soon added the scalp of Usman Khawaja when he edged to first slip Sharjeel Khan, who took a fine catch low to his left.

Australia promoted all-rounder Mitchell Marsh up the order but the experiment failed as he scooped the first ball he faced from Amir to Imad at cover to leave the home side 41 for three.

Head then joined Smith in the middle and hit five boundaries on his way to 29 before he edged Hasan Ali to Mohammad Rizwan with Australia on 86 for four.

Smith (60) brought up a hard-fought 50 from 91 balls with only two boundaries and no sixes, but with eight overs to go he got an inside edge onto his pads and then stumps to give Imad his second wicket.

There was a steady procession of wickets until Faulkner skied a ball to point off Amir to leave&nbsp;Pakistan needing only 221 to level the series.

Smith said the Australians had paid the price for attacking too early and losing key wickets before the spinners came on to bowl.

&quot;We were probably about 40 runs too short -- the bowlers did a pretty good job of trying to contain them, but we just weren&#39;t good enough,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

Pakistan won by six wickets after pacemen Mohammad Amir (3-47) and Junaid Khan (2-40) blew open Australia's batting line-up

Pakistan beat Australia by six wickets in the second one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, their first ODI win on Australian soil for 12 years. The win was also Pakistan's first ODI victory at the MCG since 1985 and levels the five-match series at 1-1. Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first on a flat-looking wicket, but Pakistan's opening pair Mohammad Amir (3-47) and Junaid Khan (2-40) bowled superbly to help restrict the home side to 220 all out. They were backed up by left arm spinner Imad Wasim (2-37), whose 10-over spell in the middle of the innings tied the batsmen down and slowed the scoring. The modest total never looked enough once Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez (72) and fellow opener Sharjeel Khan (29) had put on 68 for the first wicket. Babar Azam chipped in with 34 before Shoaib Malik (42 not out) and Umar Akmal (18 not out) guided the visitors home with 2.2 overs to spare. "I think the bowlers did a great job for us," said Hafeez, who was also named man of the match. "We wanted to get a total on the board that we were comfortable with because the ball wasn't coming onto the bat. "The bowlers took wickets at the right time and kept the pressure on." Australia went into the match without a recognised spinner and were made to pay the price on a two-paced wicket that favoured the slower bowlers. Their seam attack did its best to restrict the Pakistan batting, with Josh Hazelwood (0-32) the most impressive despite not taking a wicket, and James Faulkner (2-35) effective with his changes of pace. But the other bowlers were ineffective and expensive, with off-spinner Travis Head going for 23 runs off his 2.4 overs. Amir and Junaid Khan set the tone early with their impressive opening spells. Junaid, brought into the team in place of Wahab Riaz, induced an edge from the dangerous David Warner (16) to leave the Australians on 31-1. Junaid soon added the scalp of Usman Khawaja when he edged to first slip Sharjeel Khan, who took a fine catch low to his left. Australia promoted all-rounder Mitchell Marsh up the order but the experiment failed as he scooped the first ball he faced from Amir to Imad at cover to leave the home side 41 for three. Head then joined Smith in the middle and hit five boundaries on his way to 29 before he edged Hasan Ali to Mohammad Rizwan with Australia on 86 for four. Smith (60) brought up a hard-fought 50 from 91 balls with only two boundaries and no sixes, but with eight overs to go he got an inside edge onto his pads and then stumps to give Imad his second wicket. There was a steady procession of wickets until Faulkner skied a ball to point off Amir to leave Pakistan needing only 221 to level the series. Smith said the Australians had paid the price for attacking too early and losing key wickets before the spinners came on to bowl. "We were probably about 40 runs too short -- the bowlers did a pretty good job of trying to contain them, but we just weren't good enough," he said. (AFP)

Pakistan record first one-day win in Australia in 12 years

Pakistan record first win against Australia in 12 years

Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik strung&nbsp;a crucial fourth-wicket partnership in Cardiff to help Pakistan avoid a whitewash against England in the 5-match ODI series. 
 
Ahmed&#39;s 90 and Malik&#39;s 77 came when Pakistan, chasing England&#39;s score of 303, were reeling at 77 for the loss of three wickets. 
 
Earlier, England, who scored 444 runs in the previous match,&nbsp;looked due for another mammoth score when they reached 244 for five off 40 overs.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
But Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir choked the slog overs, allowing England to score just 58 more in the last ten overs. 
 
England were at a healthy stage till the 40th over thanks to Jason Roy&#39;s 87 and Ben Stokes 75, which was incidentally his highest score in an ODI. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m really happy the team performed as it&#39;s been a tough series,&quot; said Ahmed,&nbsp;who was adjudged the man of the match.&nbsp;

A relieved Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said his team wanted to finish on a high. 
 
England skipper Eoin Morgan, meanwhile, had no qualms in tinkering with his squad, referring to the selection&nbsp;of spinner&nbsp;Liam Dawson in the squad. 
 
(WION)

Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoib Malik's record fourth-wicket partnership helped Pakistan chase 303 in Cardiff

Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik strung a crucial fourth-wicket partnership in Cardiff to help Pakistan avoid a whitewash against England in the 5-match ODI series. Ahmed's 90 and Malik's 77 came when Pakistan, chasing England's score of 303, were reeling at 77 for the loss of three wickets. Earlier, England, who scored 444 runs in the previous match, looked due for another mammoth score when they reached 244 for five off 40 overs. But Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir choked the slog overs, allowing England to score just 58 more in the last ten overs. England were at a healthy stage till the 40th over thanks to Jason Roy's 87 and Ben Stokes 75, which was incidentally his highest score in an ODI. "I'm really happy the team performed as it's been a tough series," said Ahmed, who was adjudged the man of the match. A relieved Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said his team wanted to finish on a high. England skipper Eoin Morgan, meanwhile, had no qualms in tinkering with his squad, referring to the selection of spinner Liam Dawson in the squad. (WION)

Pakistan wins 5th ODI against England to avoid whitewash

When Pakistan&#39;s convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Amir takes to the field at Lord&#39;s on Thursday, the bowler can expect overwhelming support from his homeland as he faces a potentially prickly reception from the English crowd. 
 
The 24-year-old appears almost certain to make his return to Test cricket at the home of cricket -- where he and two teammates were found guilty of arranging no-balls to order as part of an elaborate betting scam devised by a tabloid journalist six years ago. 
 
The trio served jail sentences over the affair in what was perhaps the biggest scandal to hit the sport. 
 
England&#39;s captain Alastair Cook has already stated Amir can expect &quot;a reaction&quot; from English spectators while former English cricketers Kevin Pietersen and spinner Graeme Swann have joined the ranks of those calling for a life ban for all fixers. 
 
Back home in Pakistan, however, ex-players and most fans have come around to forgiving the left-arm pacer, citing his youth at the time of his crime and early admission -- though some still have reservations about what example his return sets to would-be fixers. 
 
Legendary bowler Wasim Akram, who led the country to their last Test series win in England in 1996, said he believes Amir can weather the hostility. 
 
&quot;People want Amir to do well so there will be enormous pressure on him, but I am confident that he will come out a winner,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
Muhammad Asif, one of Amir&#39;s co-conspirators who is now playing club cricket in Norway, also pleaded for understanding. &quot;I request to England players and fans to allow Amir to play freely. He and two of us others committed a mistake, were punished and now our bans are over so let us play,&quot; he said. 
 
Despite initial resistance from certain players, Amir&#39;s current teammates have united behind him while fans almost unanimously back their hero. 
 
&quot;What happened with Amir is now past&quot;, said Shariq Mahmood from Karachi, a die-hard fan who travelled to India to watch the World Twenty20 in March this year. 
 
&quot;The way he (Amir) is bowling I think he will bamboozle England batsmen with his swing,&quot; he added, referring to the youngster&#39;s slew of wickets against Sussex in a warm-up match where his fast pace and late movement won wickets and praise. 
 
Zaair Hussain, a project manager at a game studio in Lahore, added: &quot;The return of Amir has been something I&#39;ve been eagerly awaiting -- the redemption at the end of this long tragic arc.&quot; 
 
&quot;A young man stupidly threw away one of the most promising careers of his generation over a pittance. From the first day, he said he would work to make himself worthy again. After five long years, his punishment served, he is back and a live wire on the pitch.&quot; 
 
A few, however, expressed ambivalence because of Amir&#39;s perceived lack of humility since his return and the troubling signal his comeback sends in a country that has been tainted by the spectre of match-fixing since the 1990s. 
 
Pakistan start the tour firm underdogs, though are considered to have their best chance of victory in the four-match Test series where much will rest on the ability of Amir and leg-spinner Yasir Shah. 
 
&quot;Watching him bowl in Tests, especially in England was a thing of joy so I can&#39;t not look forward to that,&quot; said Sana Kazmi, an education consultant in Karachi. 
 
&quot;But also, personally, as a fan, I just needed him to say &#39;Sorry I screwed up&#39; unconditionally and he never did that. &#39;I&#39;m sorry I got misled&#39; is not quite the same thing for me.&quot; 
 
The differing approach by the Pakistan Cricket Board to Asif and Amir&#39;s former captain Salman Butt, both of whom remain out of national contention despite having also served their bans -- has also irked some. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s a phenomenal talent, phenomenal,&quot; said marketing professional Anthony Permal from Karachi. 
 
&quot;So we&#39;re teaching our children that if you&#39;re really good at what you do, we will forget your sins. But, if you&#39;re mediocre, get ready to be thrown under the bus.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Back home in Pakistan, ex-players and most fans have come around to forgiving the left-arm pacer, citing his youth at the time of his crime

When Pakistan's convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Amir takes to the field at Lord's on Thursday, the bowler can expect overwhelming support from his homeland as he faces a potentially prickly reception from the English crowd. The 24-year-old appears almost certain to make his return to Test cricket at the home of cricket -- where he and two teammates were found guilty of arranging no-balls to order as part of an elaborate betting scam devised by a tabloid journalist six years ago. The trio served jail sentences over the affair in what was perhaps the biggest scandal to hit the sport. England's captain Alastair Cook has already stated Amir can expect "a reaction" from English spectators while former English cricketers Kevin Pietersen and spinner Graeme Swann have joined the ranks of those calling for a life ban for all fixers. Back home in Pakistan, however, ex-players and most fans have come around to forgiving the left-arm pacer, citing his youth at the time of his crime and early admission -- though some still have reservations about what example his return sets to would-be fixers. Legendary bowler Wasim Akram, who led the country to their last Test series win in England in 1996, said he believes Amir can weather the hostility. "People want Amir to do well so there will be enormous pressure on him, but I am confident that he will come out a winner," he told AFP. Muhammad Asif, one of Amir's co-conspirators who is now playing club cricket in Norway, also pleaded for understanding. "I request to England players and fans to allow Amir to play freely. He and two of us others committed a mistake, were punished and now our bans are over so let us play," he said. Despite initial resistance from certain players, Amir's current teammates have united behind him while fans almost unanimously back their hero. "What happened with Amir is now past", said Shariq Mahmood from Karachi, a die-hard fan who travelled to India to watch the World Twenty20 in March this year. "The way he (Amir) is bowling I think he will bamboozle England batsmen with his swing," he added, referring to the youngster's slew of wickets against Sussex in a warm-up match where his fast pace and late movement won wickets and praise. Zaair Hussain, a project manager at a game studio in Lahore, added: "The return of Amir has been something I've been eagerly awaiting -- the redemption at the end of this long tragic arc." "A young man stupidly threw away one of the most promising careers of his generation over a pittance. From the first day, he said he would work to make himself worthy again. After five long years, his punishment served, he is back and a live wire on the pitch." A few, however, expressed ambivalence because of Amir's perceived lack of humility since his return and the troubling signal his comeback sends in a country that has been tainted by the spectre of match-fixing since the 1990s. Pakistan start the tour firm underdogs, though are considered to have their best chance of victory in the four-match Test series where much will rest on the ability of Amir and leg-spinner Yasir Shah. "Watching him bowl in Tests, especially in England was a thing of joy so I can't not look forward to that," said Sana Kazmi, an education consultant in Karachi. "But also, personally, as a fan, I just needed him to say 'Sorry I screwed up' unconditionally and he never did that. 'I'm sorry I got misled' is not quite the same thing for me." The differing approach by the Pakistan Cricket Board to Asif and Amir's former captain Salman Butt, both of whom remain out of national contention despite having also served their bans -- has also irked some. "He's a phenomenal talent, phenomenal," said marketing professional Anthony Permal from Karachi. "So we're teaching our children that if you're really good at what you do, we will forget your sins. But, if you're mediocre, get ready to be thrown under the bus." (AFP)

Pakistan supports Amir ahead of Lord's return

Pakistan&#39;s Mohammad Amir said match-fixers should be banned for life as he prepares to return to Test cricket at Lord&rsquo;s, where an infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal landed him a jail term and a five-year ban. 
 
The fast bowler backed comments from England captain Alastair Cook, who said anyone caught match-fixing should be thrown out of the sport for good. 
 
&quot;If fixing is still happening then it&#39;s really alarming,&quot; Amir said in an interview before his departure for the four-test tour of England. &quot;I fully back that fixers should be banned for life.&quot; 
 
The 24-year-old left-armer can expect a cool reception from fans at Lord&#39;s, where he was caught bowling no-balls to order in a sting operation carried out by a tabloid newspaper. 
 
But Cook said earlier this month that he had no problem playing against Amir, who has served his ban and returned to international cricket in January. 
 
Amir and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif bowled no-balls to order on the instructions of their captain Salman Butt. All three received five-year bans and, together with sports agent Mazhar Majeed, jail terms. 
 
Since his ban expired, Amir has played only limited-overs matches,but now he will come full circle with a Test return at Lord&#39;s -- a twist of fate that he called a &quot;blessing&quot;. 
 
&quot;To be honest I never thought about my comeback and I feel seriously lucky to be back in the role to play Test cricket again,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can&#39;t believe that this is happening.&nbsp;You call it a coincidence or whatever but for me it&#39;s a blessing that I am restarting (Tests) right at Lord&#39;s from where I stopped in 2010.&quot; 
 
&#39;My real comeback&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Amir&#39;s pace and wicket-taking ability make him an automatic choice for the Test series opener from July 14, when he hopes to be able to put his past behind him. 
 
&quot;I may have registered my comeback months ago but Test cricket is actual cricket, and playing it again is what I was looking forward to and this is my real comeback,&quot; said Amir. 
 
&quot;I won&#39;t say that I have forgotten my past and those incidents won&#39;t come back to haunt me, but I am looking at it positively as I want to replace the past with a better future.&quot; 
 
&quot;My memory still holds those moments from 2010 but I want to perform well, want to get my name (on) the honour board at Lord&#39;s once again,&quot; said Amir, whose haul of 6-84 in the tainted Test of 2010 features on the honours board, where outstanding play is chronicled. 
 
Amir also said he will be ready for on-field sledging and the inevitable chants by England fans. At a Twenty20 international in New Zealand in January the stadium announcer played the sound of a cash register before one of Amir&#39;s overs. 
 
&quot;Crowds in general get nasty sometimes but you are professional only if you handle any kind of situation wisely. It&#39;s my duty to be focused on the game,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Sledging is a part of the game and it indeed isn&#39;t new. But I don&#39;t want to think a lot about this. I will think about my performance,&quot; added Amir. 
 
Amir also said his experiences had made him a stronger person than he was before the events of 2010, when he was still a teenager. 
 
&quot;I went through tough times which actually taught me a lot of good lessons and now I am much stronger than before. I have got enough in my life to stand strong,&quot; he said. 
 
Pakistan will also play five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the tour. 
(AFP)

His own involvement in a 2010 spot-fixing scandal had landed him the 5-year ban and a jail term

Pakistan's Mohammad Amir said match-fixers should be banned for life as he prepares to return to Test cricket at Lord’s, where an infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal landed him a jail term and a five-year ban. The fast bowler backed comments from England captain Alastair Cook, who said anyone caught match-fixing should be thrown out of the sport for good. "If fixing is still happening then it's really alarming," Amir said in an interview before his departure for the four-test tour of England. "I fully back that fixers should be banned for life." The 24-year-old left-armer can expect a cool reception from fans at Lord's, where he was caught bowling no-balls to order in a sting operation carried out by a tabloid newspaper. But Cook said earlier this month that he had no problem playing against Amir, who has served his ban and returned to international cricket in January. Amir and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif bowled no-balls to order on the instructions of their captain Salman Butt. All three received five-year bans and, together with sports agent Mazhar Majeed, jail terms. Since his ban expired, Amir has played only limited-overs matches,but now he will come full circle with a Test return at Lord's -- a twist of fate that he called a "blessing". "To be honest I never thought about my comeback and I feel seriously lucky to be back in the role to play Test cricket again," he said. "I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can't believe that this is happening. You call it a coincidence or whatever but for me it's a blessing that I am restarting (Tests) right at Lord's from where I stopped in 2010." 'My real comeback' Amir's pace and wicket-taking ability make him an automatic choice for the Test series opener from July 14, when he hopes to be able to put his past behind him. "I may have registered my comeback months ago but Test cricket is actual cricket, and playing it again is what I was looking forward to and this is my real comeback," said Amir. "I won't say that I have forgotten my past and those incidents won't come back to haunt me, but I am looking at it positively as I want to replace the past with a better future." "My memory still holds those moments from 2010 but I want to perform well, want to get my name (on) the honour board at Lord's once again," said Amir, whose haul of 6-84 in the tainted Test of 2010 features on the honours board, where outstanding play is chronicled. Amir also said he will be ready for on-field sledging and the inevitable chants by England fans. At a Twenty20 international in New Zealand in January the stadium announcer played the sound of a cash register before one of Amir's overs. "Crowds in general get nasty sometimes but you are professional only if you handle any kind of situation wisely. It's my duty to be focused on the game," he said. "Sledging is a part of the game and it indeed isn't new. But I don't want to think a lot about this. I will think about my performance," added Amir. Amir also said his experiences had made him a stronger person than he was before the events of 2010, when he was still a teenager. "I went through tough times which actually taught me a lot of good lessons and now I am much stronger than before. I have got enough in my life to stand strong," he said. Pakistan will also play five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the tour. (AFP)

Pak's Amir returns after five years, says fixers should be 'banned for life'

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir, who spent time in jail and served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, will be able to handle the pressure of returning to England if he is granted a visa for their upcoming tour, said team mate Azhar Ali.

Amir was considered one of the most exciting fast bowlers in the world before a 2010 spot-fixing scandal that resulted in bans and jail sentences for him, former test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif.

The trio were cleared to return to the sport by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last September after serving suspensions.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has requested a visa for Amir, who has already toured New Zealand for a limited over series, played in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and featured in the World Twenty20 in India since serving his ban.

Azhar had offered his resignation as one-day captain when Amir was brought back into the Pakistan fold but is now keen to move on and says the team will support the 24-year-old quick if he needs it in England.

&quot;(What happened in) 2010 is in the past and now we need to look forward,&quot; Azhar told reporters on Tuesday.

&quot;It has been a while now since he has been with us. It could have been tough, had he come in straight on such a tour, but now, after playing with us for a long time, things have settled.

&quot;Even he isn&#39;t under pressure because he has already made his comeback a few months ago and the toughest phase is over for him,&quot; Azhar said.

&quot;I know England was the place where the incident happened but hopefully he can handle the pressure like he did on his comeback. But still if anything happens, we, as a team, will handle it.&quot;

Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Azhar Ali gives his vote of confidence to Mohammad Amir ahead of the England tour

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir, who spent time in jail and served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, will be able to handle the pressure of returning to England if he is granted a visa for their upcoming tour, said team mate Azhar Ali. Amir was considered one of the most exciting fast bowlers in the world before a 2010 spot-fixing scandal that resulted in bans and jail sentences for him, former test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif. The trio were cleared to return to the sport by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last September after serving suspensions. The Pakistan Cricket Board has requested a visa for Amir, who has already toured New Zealand for a limited over series, played in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and featured in the World Twenty20 in India since serving his ban. Azhar had offered his resignation as one-day captain when Amir was brought back into the Pakistan fold but is now keen to move on and says the team will support the 24-year-old quick if he needs it in England. "(What happened in) 2010 is in the past and now we need to look forward," Azhar told reporters on Tuesday. "It has been a while now since he has been with us. It could have been tough, had he come in straight on such a tour, but now, after playing with us for a long time, things have settled. "Even he isn't under pressure because he has already made his comeback a few months ago and the toughest phase is over for him," Azhar said. "I know England was the place where the incident happened but hopefully he can handle the pressure like he did on his comeback. But still if anything happens, we, as a team, will handle it." Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

Pakistan's ODI skipper backs Amir in England return

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