Pakistan’s Haris Rauf produces another super spell to demolish Australia’s middle-order at Adelaide Oval

Pakistan tearaway Haris Rauf has produced another super spell to demolish Australia’s middle-order at the Adelaide Oval.

The hosts collapsed to be all-out for 163 in the 35th over in the second ODI after being sent in to bat by Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan on Friday.

Australia will have to win with the lowest ODI total they have successfully defended to avoid heading to Perth with the three-match series level.

The current lowest total successfully defended by Australia was their 172 against South Africa at the SCG in 1993.

Australia have already announced they will rest star quicks Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood for Sunday’s potential series-decider.

Rauf, who has been a popular figure in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars since 2020, picked up where he left off at the MCG.

The 31-year-old gave Pakistan a chance of a shock victory on Monday with 3-67, before Cummins steered Australia home by two wickets.

But Rauf (5-29) went to another level in Adelaide with his second five-wicket haul in ODIs, dismissing Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, and Glenn Maxwell as Australia collapsed from 2-79 to 7-129.

The fiery right-armer also claimed Cummins’ scalp to end any chance Australia had of posting a competitive total.

Rauf finished with the best ODI figures by a Pakistani bowler at the Adelaide Oval.

Australia should have been all-out for 147 after wicketkeeper Rizwan spilled a skied ball from Adam Zampa.

Zampa belted a quick-fire 18, even goading Rizwan into using a review, saying: “You blokes appeal for everything. You should take it (the review).”

Steve Smith finished as Australia’s top-scorer with 35.

Australian openers Matt Short (19) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (13) failed to silence critics of their cavalier batting.

Australian great Ian Healy called the pair “schoolyard bullies” and urged them to temper their aggression.

On Thursday, Fraser-McGurk said he would continue batting his way.