Australia have been skittled for 168 in their opening one-day international against Pakistan, destroyed by a six-wicket haul from leg-spinner Shahid Afridi.

Afridi, also a useful hard-hitting batsman, claimed 6-38 from his 10 overs, the best figures of his 272 one-day internationals, as Australia lost their last nine wickets for 73 to be bowled out in the 39th over.

Compounding Australia’s pain, opener Shaun Marsh injured his left hamstring in his first match for the national side since tearing the same muscle in February.

Only a last-wicket stand of 46 between all-rounder James Hopes (48 not out off 46 balls) and tailender Ben Hilfenhaus (four) saved Australia from an even greater disaster.

Australia had looked well placed at 1-95 in the 19th over, with Brad Haddin (40 off 52) and No.3 Shane Watson (40 off 47) both extremely comfortable against the pacemen in the early stages of the innings.

Pakistan’s opening bowlers Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar failed to take a wicket in their opening spells, with the only dismissal to that point the run out of Marsh for 16.

Marsh needed to use Nathan Hauritz as a runner after hurting his hamstring diving to make a quick single in the fourth over of the innings.

Fellow paceman Rao Iftikhar replaced Akhtar but also had little impact, going for 16 runs in his two overs.

But Afridi and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal turned the innings on its head.

Afridi, introduced to the attack in the 13th over, struck first, deceiving Haddin in flight to have him caught at short cover in the 19th over.

Ajmal then chimed in, surprising Australia’s acting captain Michael Clarke (four) by turning the ball sharply away from him to snare him caught behind.

It was a blow for Clarke, after he had stated before the game that the most important priority was for at least some of the top four batsman to make big scores.

All-rounder Andrew Symonds (two), in his first game for Australia in almost four months after injury and suspension, lasted just five balls before becoming Afridi’s next victim, caught behind attempting to cut a straight ball.

Afridi kept the momentum going Pakistan’s way, bowling Watson in his next over, with a ball which spun back in, then followed up an over later by dismissing Callum Ferguson (two) caught at slip.

Hauritz (one) quickly followed, bowled by Ajmal in the next over.

Afridi then ensured his career-best figures by bowling tailenders Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark to close his dream 10-over spell, leaving Australia at 9-122, a slump of 8-27 in 12.1 overs.

Ajmal took 2-19 from his 10 overs.

The end of the spinners’ spells allowed Australia a reprieve at the end of their innings.

Hopes batted beautifully as he and Hilfenhaus added 46 in eight overs, before Hilfenhaus was bowled by Gul, the only wicket claimed by a quick bowler in the innings.

AAP scl/tb

© AAP 2012

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