Australia clean sweep Pakistan in ODI series

Australia clinched victory by 20 runs in the fifth One-day International (ODI), to complete a clean-sweep in the series against Pakistan.

Chasing a target of 328, Pakistan suffered an early setback as opener Abid Ali fell without troubling the scorers.

Despite losing Abid early, opener Shan Masood formed an important century partnership with middle-order batsman Haris Sohail to set the pace for the chase.

However, Masood was trapped leg-before-wicket by leg-spinner Adam Zampa for fifty, hampering Pakistan surge towards the target.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan also departed early for 12, courtesy of a brilliant catch from spinner Nathan Lyon at mid-off.

Sohail scored his second century of the series to keep Pakistan alive in the contest.

Left-handed batsman found an able ally in hard-hitting batsman Umar Akmal to muster another century partnership.

However, their quest to the target came to an end, as both Sohail (130) and Akmal (43) got out in a space of 5 deliveries.

Stand-in captain Imad Wasim was left with too much to do as the required run-rate jumped over 10.

Wasim continued to fight till the end, but failed to take Pakistan across the line.

Earlier, Australia bettered their score in the fourth ODI by fifty runs and posted 327-7 in their allotted 50 overs.

Visitors captain Aaron finch and opener Usman khawaja registered another century partnership in the series, after Pakistan won the toss and opted to field first.

Australia top-order scored the bulk of the runs as Shaun Marsh also chipped in with another fifty, after pacer Usman Shinwari removed Finch for 53.

Shinwari also denied Khawaja a century, as the pacer induced a false shot from the left-handed opener to have him caught at 98.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell provided further impetus to the Australia innings as he repeated his antics from the third and fourth ODI. Shinwari and left-arm pacer Junaid Khan bagged 4 and 3 wickets respectively, but not before Maxwell 70 off 33 balls propelled Australia to a mammoth total.

Maxwell was adjudged player of the match for his allround display.