AUS vs PAK: Haris Rauf Rips Through Australian Batting Order a Day After His 31st Birthday

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Haris Rauf ran through the Australian batting order a day after his 31st birthday as Pakistan took command in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on Friday (November 8).

The 31-year-old pacer, who returned to the national team for the Australia tour, had claimed three wickets in the series opener, which the visitors lost by 2 wickets when defending 203 in Melbourne on Monday (November 4).

Four days later, the speedster was unplayable at times as he claimed five Australian wickets in the 2nd ODI, removing Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins in his spell of eight overs.

The figures of 5 for 29 is Rauf's second five-wicket haul in One Day Internationals with his previous best being 5 for 18 against Afganistan, coming a year ago in Hambantota.

Four of Rauf's five wickets were caught behind dismissals as skipper Mohammad Rizwan had a busy noon in Adelaide, where the wicketkeeper took six catches to reduce Australia to 146/9 in 32 overs.

Inglis caught behind for 18 was Rauf's first victim, while Labuschagne followed soon in similar manner an over later as he fell for 6. Hardie was also dismissed caught behind for 14 in the 26th over, while Rauf had Maxwell chopping one on to the stumps in the 28th over.

Rauf's dismissal of Maxwell for 16 left Australia reeling at 129/7. The pacer then completed his fifer with the dismissal of Australian captain Pat Cummins, who burned up a review after a failed to challenge for a caught behind.

Naseem Shah later joined the fun as he removed Mitchell Starc for 1. Earlier, Shaheen Afridi gave Australia a double blow with two wickets inside the powerplay.

Opting to field, Afridi gave Pakistan an early advantage by removing openers Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk as the visitors look to bounce back and level the ODI series. Also, Mohammad Hasnain, the fourth pacer in the line up, had dismissed Steve Smith.