Haris Rauf’s stunning five-wicket haul, along with a dominant display by openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique, propelled Pakistan to a comfortable 9-wicket victory over Australia in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval. This decisive win, sealed with a six from captain Babar Azam, leveled the three-match series 1-1, setting up a thrilling decider on November 10 in Perth.

Pakistan chased down Australia’s target of 164 with ease, losing just one wicket as Saim Ayub scored an unbeaten 82 and Abdullah Shafique added 64*. Babar’s six brought a stylish end to the game and secured a remarkable victory.

In the first innings, Australia was bowled out for a mere 163. Haris Rauf’s fiery 5 for 29 tore through the Australian lineup, leaving Pakistan well-positioned to level the series. This marked Rauf’s second five-wicket haul in ODIs, with his dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne highlighting his accuracy and pace.

Four of Rauf’s wickets came via catches by Pakistan’s wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who equaled the record for most dismissals (six) by a wicketkeeper in an ODI, although he narrowly missed breaking it with a late dropped catch.

Australia’s top scorer was Steven Smith, who managed 35 runs on a challenging pitch. The Australian lineup faltered despite the green surface not justifying such a collapse, as Rauf’s precision continued to unsettle the hosts’ footwork, making it challenging to score.

Openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, already under scrutiny for their aggressive approach in the first ODI, failed again as Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Fraser-McGurk early, while Short was eventually caught at cover by Babar Azam after a brief stay.

Smith, who seemed comfortable, hit a six off Mohammad Hasnain but was lucky to survive an edge that slipped through Saim Ayub’s hands at point. However, Rauf soon dismissed him with a top-edge pull, while his other victims, including Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, and Glenn Maxwell, fell to equally superb deliveries.

Mohammad Hasnain also contributed by removing Smith after a lucky escape for him, and Naseem Shah’s sharp delivery found Mitchell Starc’s edge to claim another wicket. Rauf rounded off his tally with a fifth wicket, Pat Cummins, further confirming Pakistan’s dominance.

Rizwan missed an opportunity to break the record with a dropped top-edge from Adam Zampa, yet Shaheen ultimately dismissed Zampa, ending Australia’s innings for 163.

With this emphatic performance, Pakistan evened the series and now looks ahead to the deciding match, aiming for a historic series win in Australia.