Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan delivered a stellar performance behind the stumps in the second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval, capturing six catches. This feat ties him with Sarfaraz Ahmed for the most catches by a Pakistan wicketkeeper in a single ODI inning. Sarfaraz first set this record in 2015 with six catches against South Africa. Before Rizwan and Sarfaraz, Moin Khan held the record with five catches against Zimbabwe in 1995, and Rashid Latif matched it in 2003 against Sri Lanka. Rizwan’s exceptional work showcased his reliability and placed him among Pakistan’s most skilled wicketkeepers.
He also had an opportunity to break the record by taking a seventh catch, which would have made ODI history. However, he narrowly missed a chance to dismiss Adam Zampa off Naseem Shah’s delivery in the 34th over.
On the bowling front, Haris Rauf led Pakistan’s attack brilliantly, securing a five-wicket haul with outstanding figures of 5/29 in eight overs. His fiery spell left Australia struggling as he dismissed key players like Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, and Pat Cummins, with Rizwan holding onto four edges behind the stumps.
Shaheen Shah Afridi added to the pressure, taking three wickets, including both openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short. Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah each claimed a wicket, rounding out an exceptional bowling performance that bowled Australia out for 163 runs in just 35 overs.
Pakistan’s bowlers have set a manageable target for their batters to chase, keeping hopes alive in the series. Thanks to Rizwan’s crucial catches and a dominant bowling display, Pakistan now has a strong foundation for the win. Now, the batters just need to step up and finish the job.
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