Pakistan Australia by 7 wickets in 2nd ODI

ABU DHABI: Opener Nasir Jamshed hit an aggressive 97 to guide Pakistan to a seven-wicket win over Australia in the second one-day, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.

Scorecard

The 22-year-old left-hander took the attack to the Australian bowlers during his 98-ball innings, hitting 11 boundaries and two well-timed sixes to help his team successfully chase a challenging 249-run target in the 43.4 overs at Abu Dhabi Stadium.

Australia owed their recovery to another left-hander Michael Hussey (61) to post a challenging total despite an impressive performance by Pakistan's ace spinner Saeed Ajmal (4-32).

Australia had won the first match by four wickets in Sharjah on Tuesday. The third and final match will be played in Sharjah on Monday.

Pakistan's batting, which folded in the first one-day for 198, showed a remarkable improvement as Jamshed and Mohammad Hafeez (23) raced to 66 by the 12th over to set their team on course for a win.

Even when Hafeez pulled Dan Christian straight into the hands of Hussey, Jamshed remained unperturbed, treating the Australian bowlers with contempt as he pulled Christian for two exquisite sixes over mid-wicket.

He brought up his sixth one-day fifty off 58 balls. As he looked set for his second hundred, Jamshed miscued a drive off Mitchell Johnson straight into the hands of Starc at mid-off. He added 101 for the second wicket with Azhar Ali who made 59 not out.

Pakistan also lost Asad Shafiq (9) but Ali and Misbah-ul Haq (35) saw off the target.

Australian pacers Starc and James Pattinson who shared eight wickets between them in the first match failed in the excessive dew as they found the ball hard to grip, dismissing just one batsman.

Earlier, Hussey came good with his 38th one-day fifty to lead Australian recovery from a precarious 87-4 after they won the toss and batted. Australia scored 73 runs in the last ten overs foiling Ajmal who at one point looked capable of keeping Australia down to 220.