Shaheen Shah Afridi levels with legendary Wasim Akram & Waqar Younis during Pakistan vs Australia 2nd ODI in Lahore

Shaheen Shah Afridi added another feather to his cap after the Pakistan captain went on level with legendary Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in the second ODI against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday. Coming from a five-wicket win in the first ODI, Pakistan opted to bowl first after Afridi won the toss.

The Pakistan skipper struck on the very first ball of the game to give the home side a dreamy start. Trying to cut a short delivery from Afridi, Alex Carey chopped the ball off an inside edge onto his stumps for a first-ball duck. In the process, Afridi joined Akram and Younis to become only the third Pakistan captain to take a wicket in the opening delivery of the match.

Akram was the first to achieve the feat in 1993 against Zimbabwe in Karachi when he had Andy Flower dismissed on the very first ball of the game. Waqar joined Akram in an exclusive club eight years later in 2001, in a ODI against England at Headingley. Waqar had dismissed Marcus Trescothick.

Afridi added his name in the elite list 25 years later, thus building on a reputation of providing early breakthroughs.

Pakistan restrict Australia to 231/9

Meanwhile, Australia rode on fighting half centuries from captain Josh Inglis and Cameron Green to help the visitors post 231/9 on Tuesday. Green knocked a polished 92-ball 53 while Inglis scored a 74-ball 51 to counter another spin test on a dry Gaddafi Stadium pitch.

The Green-Inglis duo lifted Australia from 51/3 with a sedate 51-run stand after Pakistan attacked with the spin as early as from the fifth over. But it was pacer Afridi who bowled opener Alex Carey before spinners Abrar Ahmed and Arafat Minhas struck once each, removing Matthew Short (15) and Marnus Labuschagne for five respectively.

Inglis hit five boundaries in his fifth ODI fifty before he was bowled by Minhas in the 27th over. Minhas, who took five wickets on debut in the first ODI in Rawalpindi on Saturday, finished with 2/27.

Green added another invaluable 65 runs for the fifth wicket with Matthew Renshaw (43) before Abrar removed Green to push the visitors hard. Green's third ODI half century had a single boundary and two sixes. Oliver Peake ensured Australia post a fighting total with a brisk 32-ball 31 inclusive of two sixes and a boundary. Shaheen was the best home bowler with 3/36.

Pakistan vs Australia 2nd ODI playing XIs

Australia: Alex Carey, Matthew Short, Josh Inglis(w/c), Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Oliver Peake, Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Ghazi Ghori(w), Arafat Minhas, Salman Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi(c), Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed