Pakistan Players © Gallo Images

Saim Ayub slammed a swashbuckly 82 and Abdullah Shafique an unbeaten 64 as Pakistan demolished Australia by nine wickets to level their one-day series at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.

Responding to the hosts’ modest 163 thanks to spearhead Haris Rauf’s 5-29, Pakistan reached 169 for one with a mammoth 141 balls to spare.

A decider was set at Perth Stadium on Sunday after Australia won a tense first match in Melbourne by two wickets.

Openers Ayub and Shafique started the chase slowly, caught by Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins with just 47 from the first 10 overs.

But they began to link the bat after that, with Ayub hitting a big six off Cummins and holing another to Mitchell Starc.

The 22-year-old was dropped by Adam Zampa on 47 and capitalized by bringing up his ODI half-century in just his second match, with Shafique joining in the fun with some giant sixes of his own.

Ayub eventually succumbed to Zampa, going for another big hit, caught by Hazlewood, ending a 71-ball session that included five fours and six sixes.

Babar Azam (15 not out) joined Shafique to see Pakistan home, ending the match with his 10th six of the innings.

“The most important thing is the team won,” Ayub said.

“We planned to be positive and not think about the result, but the most important thing is how we play as a team.

“Credit goes to Haris Rauf but the other bowlers also supported him well.”

BAD AUSTRALIA DAY

Rauf’s pace caused big problems after Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and sent Australia in with 35 from top scorer Steve Smith as they were dismissed in the 35th over.

Wicketkeeper Rizwan took six catches.

“It wasn’t one of our best days,” Australia captain Cummins said.

“You hope to get more than 160. They played well but we wanted to get a bigger score.

“We took some catches, we tried to attack but it wasn’t,” he added of their bowling.

In the absence of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, who are on paternity leave, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short opened again, keen to make their mark after falling cheaply in the opening match.

The aggressive Fraser-McGurk slammed three boundaries off Naseem Shah’s first over but was then dismissed for 13 off Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Short had a huge drop at eight with Afridi dropping a ropes chance.

But the veteran paceman made amends, tempting Short shortly after 19, which Azam held well.

Josh Inglis hit 18 before directing Rizwan to Rauf, the same pair accounting for Marnus Labuschagne (6) to leave Australia on 87 for four.

At the other end, Smith fell for 35 before finally falling to an edge to Mohammad Hasnain, and when Rauf and Rizwan combined again to remove Aaron Hardie, the hosts were 121 for six.

Rauf struck again to bowl dangerman Glenn Maxwell for 16 and collected just his second ODI five-wicket haul by teaming up with Rizwan again to remove Cummins (13).

AUSTRALIA: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

PAKISTAN: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Agha Salman, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain