PAK vs AUS 1st ODI Results

6:31 PM IST The victorious skipper of Pakistan - Shaheen Afridi says the plan was always to bowl first, pointing to a practice match ahead of the series where the ball was gripping sharply for the spinners early on and was coming nicely under the lights as well. About Minhas' dream debut, he then shares a warm moment, saying he spotted Arafat Minhas' parents in the stands making videos of their son. Expresses that it made him really happy. He says he understands exactly what parents feel watching their child make a debut.

6:29 PM IST Adios - That wraps up a fairly one-sided contest, with Pakistan drawing first blood in the series. The action now shifts to Lahore, where the Men in Green will be aiming to wrap up the series, while Australia will be eager to bounce back and level things up. The second ODI is scheduled for Tuesday, 2nd June, at 12.30 PM GMT. As always, do join us ahead of the game for all the build-up and pre-match coverage. Until then, goodbye and take care!

6:29 PM IST The captain of Australia - Josh Inglis says that they worked really hard, but they fell short of 30-40 runs. He further says that it was a spin-friendly track and their bowlers did well. He reckons that he got a lot of information from Marnus about the conditions and ends by saying that they will bounce back.

6:29 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Undoubtedly, Arafat Minhas wins the award for his fifer on debut. He also played a cameo of unbeaten 18 runs and hit the winning runs as well. About whether there was any pressure in his debut game, Minhas admits that there is always some pressure, but adds that his confidence from the PSL experience helped him a lot. He says he simply tried to soak in the environment and enjoy the occasion, adding that the basics never change regardless of conditions. Credits the pre-series camp in Lahore for giving the squad the preparation edge they needed. On his father watching from the sidelines, Minhas says it must have been a proud moment for him, as playing for Pakistan was his father's dream too, and he is certain he (his father) enjoyed every bit of it.

6:16 PM IST Presentation Time...

6:16 PM IST Not enough runs to defend - Australia gave it everything they had but simply did not have enough runs on the board to truly challenge Pakistan. That said, taking the game beyond 40 overs is a positive they can carry into the remaining matches, especially in unfamiliar conditions. The spin duo of Matthew Kuhnemann and Tanveer Sangha struck early to give Australia some hope, but they were unable to build sustained pressure. A crucial partnership in the middle overs effectively took the game away from them. Nathan Ellis managed to remove both set batters, while Marnus Labuschagne chipped in with a wicket late on, but by then the result was all but decided. Defending a total of 200 was always going to be a tough task, and Australia ultimately fell short.