Explore the highlights of the 2nd ODI where Nathan Ellis’ impressive 4-33 performance helps Australia level the series against Pakistan in Lahore.
A Grit-And-Grind Triumph on Shifting Sands
The three-match One Day International series between Pakistan and Australia was dragged back to life in spectacular, drama-filled fashion on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Stepping into the cauldron of Lahore’s historic Gaddafi Stadium for a high-stakes, day-night encounter, a heavily depleted Australian side faced a mountain of adversity. Deprived of their legendary frontline fast-bowling trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, the visitors were widely expected to crumble under the extreme pressure.
To make matters infinitely more complex, the groundsmen served up an absolute rank-turner of a pitch—a slow, low surface designed to favor the home team’s formidable spin attack. Yet, true to their historical DNA, the makeshift Australian team showed incredible flexibility and tactical discipline. Overcoming a truly disastrous first-ball setback, they engineered a phenomenal 41-run victory to level the series at 1-1, setting up a winner-takes-all grand finale on Thursday. See also: Capsey and Knight Blast England Women to 6-Wicket Win
Rebuilding the Fortress: Inglis and Green Guide the Counter-Attack
The match began with a moment of absolute theater that sent the local crowd into raptures. Having won the toss and elected to field, Pakistan’s captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, struck gold with the very first delivery of the match, clean-bowling opening batter Alex Carey for a duck with a ball that kept low. When the dangerous Matthew Short fell for 15, and Marnus Labuschagne departed cheaply for 5 trying an aggressive sweep, Australia found themselves reeling at a highly precarious 51 for 3 inside eleven overs.
It was exactly at this juncture that stand-in captain Josh Inglis and dynamic all-rounder Cameron Green joined forces to rescue the team. Recognizing that playing loose, explosive strokes on this sticky wicket was a recipe for disaster, the duo put on a masterclass in situational batting. They ground down the Pakistan spinners, accumulating low-risk singles and using their feet beautifully to absorb the relentless pressure.
Inglis registered a vital, stabilizing 51 off 74 deliveries, striking five boundaries. Following his departure to the brilliant young spinner Arafat Minhas, Green stepped into the anchor role. The towering West Australian notched a highly disciplined 53 off 92 balls, anchoring an invaluable 65-run partnership with Matthew Renshaw, who contributed a quick-fire, run-a-ball 43.
Toward the twilight of the innings, 19-year-old prodigy Oliver Peake injected much-needed velocity, smashing two massive sixes in a brisk 31 off 32 balls. Despite Shaheen’s excellent return figures of 3 for 36, Peake’s late-overs bravery dragged the under-strength tourists to a highly competitive, fighting total of 231 for 9.
The Master of Variations: Nathan Ellis Ignites the Powerplay
Defending 231 on a spinning track usually requires a heavy dosage of slow bowling, but it was Australia’s lone specialist speed merchant who broke the back of the Pakistan batting line-up. Nathan Ellis stepped up to lead the makeshift attack with absolute elite authority, utilizing a relentless mixture of pace variations and subtle cutters.
Nathan Ellis made a devastating impact in his very first over, inducing an inside edge from opener Maaz Sadaqat to rattle the stumps for a duck. In his next over, he sent shockwaves through the stadium by trapping Pakistan’s premier batsman Babar Azam leg-before-wicket for just 16 with a brilliant delivery that nipped back sharply off the seam.
With the home side’s top order completely unhinged by Ellis’s opening spell, the Australian spin brigade took absolute control of the middle overs. Part-time spinner Matthew Short bowled with immaculate control, turning the ball sharply to collect career-best ODI metrics of 3 for 36. Backed up by tight spells from Adam Zampa and Matthew Kuhnemann, the tourists strangled the scoring rates, causing Pakistan’s middle order to suffer a spectacular collapse to 78 for 6.
The Fighting Resistance: Shadab Khan Takes the Chase Deep
Faced with a humiliating batting capitulation on home soil, all-rounder Shadab Khan single-handedly mounted an incredibly brave, counter-offensive rescue operation. Refusing to allow the Australian bowlers an easy ride, the veteran structured his innings with immense tactical intelligence.
Shadab paired up with the teenage spin sensation Arafat Minhas, who contributed a fighting 33 runs, to resurrect the chase via a highly dangerous 59-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Shadab took a particular liking to Cameron Green’s bowling, launching three spectacular sixes over the mid-wicket boundary to raise hopes of a dramatic, late-evening heist as the Gaddafi Stadium crowd roared them on.
Sealing the Deal: Tanveer Sangha Delivers the Final Blow
With the game hanging on a knife-edge, Josh Inglis turned once more to his primary weapon. Nathan Ellis returned to the attack and broke the threatening partnership instantly, trapping Minhas plumb in front of the stumps to secure his career-best ODI figures of 4 for 33 from his nine overs.
Despite losing his partners, Shadab refused to wave the white flag, completing a majestic 71 runs off 104 balls to take the match into the 44th over. The final curtain fell in highly dramatic fashion. Looking to launch leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha out of the stadium, Shadab was cleverly outwitted by a wide delivery, allowing Inglis to whip off the bails to complete a brilliant leg-side stumping. Pakistan was skittled out for 190, sparking wild celebrations among the young Australian contingent who had defied all odds in Lahore.
