With the series tied at one game all, Australia and Pakistan will go head to head in the third and the final ODI at Sharjah and you can join us at 11.55pm Australia time for live score updates.
Pakistan came back strongly in the second ODI at Abu Dhabi after going down in the opener to Australia.
Having never won an ODI series against Australia in ten years, this could be a good chance to do that for the ‘home’ team. What could add to that probability is Shahid Afridi’s return to the side after missing the second ODI due to a back injury.
Australia seemed to have done enough to get to 248 batting first at Abu Dhabi in the second ODI.
But a disappointing performance from their pace bowlers – who had shared nine wickets in the first game – spelled problems for the team.
Mitchell Starc left the field with a side injury and he might miss this game too. For a bowler who averages 22 in this format of the game and who has been quite clearly in form, it will come as a body blow for the tourists.
If Starc does miss out, Australia might want to experiment with Alister McDermott, who had earlier been drafted in place of the injured Clint McKay.
The other option Australia have is to beef up their batting with the inclusion of Steven Smith, although it might make good logic to go for a full-time spinner in Xavier Doherty.
The second ODI saw Glenn Maxwell, Michael Clarke and David Hussey roll their arm over to make up for the fifth bowler’s over and they clearly struggled as part-time bowlers.
Saeed Ajmal proved to be Australia’s nemesis yet again. The batsmen failed to milk him for runs and when they tried nudging him away, they fell to his guile.
The off-spinner ended with 4/32 and will continue to pose questions. Afridi’s inclusion will add to the spin bowling department which also has Mohammad Hafeez who makes life very difficult for batsmen with his control.
Nasir Jamshed missed out a well-deserved century for Pakistan last game but he did enough to carry his team to an easy win.
All of Hafeez, Jamshed, Azhar Ali and captain Misbah ul haq got starts and after getting off to a flier, none of the batsmen allowed the momentum to shift away.
With holes punched in a weak-looking Australian bowling in the second ODI, the Pakistani batsmen will be favourites again in the third match.
The pitch, however, will be slower than the one at Abu Dhabi and it might not come on to the bat as easily. After two successive wins batting second, chasing might be a good option yet again.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
As wife Alyssa Healy watches on, Mitchell Starc was back in form, taking three wickets in an over including the dangerous Tim David, to…
Joe Root was showing some brotherly love, giving his younger sibling Billy a chance in their county match.
Australia have reclaimed top spot in the ICC's Test rankings, replacing India. Despite not playing since winning 2-0 in New Zealand in March, Pat…
Yashasvi Jaiswal was looking comfortable at 67 off 40, until this moment when he hit the ball into his own stumps!
The Aussie made his 50 off 37 balls, for his fourth half-century of the season as his Sunrisers Hyderabad went on to beat Rajasthan…
Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. This quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein, but nobody knows if he…
