AUS vs PAK: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan Waste Good Start as Pakistan batting falters in 1st ODI

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In the opening ODI at the MCG, Pakistan's batting lineup struggled to maintain momentum, bowled out for 203 in 46.4 overs against a well-disciplined Australian bowling attack while Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan squandered good start to their innings.

Babar Azam, who returned to the team after being dropped from Pakistan's Test side, and Mohammad Rizwan, debuting as Pakistan's white-ball captain, showed promise as they built a partnership after Pakistan lost both their openers cheaply.

However, Australia's bowlers quickly took control, with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc dominating at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mitchell Starc removed opener Saim Ayub (1) first rising delivery, setting the tone for an aggressive bowling display and then followed it up with the wicket of Abdullah Shafique (12) in the powerplay.

Adam Zampa spun Pakistan's middle order into disarray as h ended the 39-run stand between Babar and Rizwan. His biggest breakthrough came with Babar Azam, who was dismissed by a ball that beat his defense, halting Pakistan's progress at a time when Babar seemed set to accelerate.

Rizwan's knock of 44 was a stabilizing factor, marked by careful shot selection and rotation of the strike. However, his dismissal -- fell to part timer Marnus Labuschagne --, attempting a sweep that was misjudged, and this departure marked a critical shift. Without their captain, Pakistan's innings lost its anchor, and the middle order struggled to form partnerships, allowing Australia to tighten their grip.

Irfan Khan (22) and Shaheen Afridi (24) provided a brief glimpse of resistance, with Afridi taking the aggressive route, striking a six off Zampa. Starc returned to dismiss Afridi, clean-bowling him with a full, straight delivery that continued Australia's march toward restricting Pakistan.

The final standout was Naseem Shah, whose unexpected 40 off 39 balls included two sixes and a four in quick succession off Zampa, lifting Pakistan past the 200-run mark. His fearless strokeplay injected life into the tail-end of Pakistan's innings and highlighted his developing all-round potential. However, his dismissal to Cummins on an attempted big shot brought Pakistan's innings to a close.

Australia's bowlers executed a well-planned strategy, with Starc leading the tally with 3/33, supported by Cummins (2/39) and Zampa (2/64). Their ability to maintain tight lines and lengths prevented Pakistan from finding fluency, setting a target of 203 that Australia's batting lineup would likely approach with confidence.