Australia’s left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc praised Pat Cummins‘ batting skills after he successfully guided the team through another pressured run chase. The Australian captain played a crucial role in the first ODI against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday, November 4, finishing unbeaten on 32 to secure a two-wicket victory.
At one point, Australia appeared on track to comfortably chase down Pakistan’s target of 204. However, Pakistan’s pacers put the hosts under pressure, reducing them from 113-2 to 155-7 in the middle overs.
Cummins came in at No. 9 and took charge of the run chase, with Starc supporting him at the other end. Starc remained not out on 2 from 12 balls, playing his part in the dramatic finish. Cummins displayed excellent composure, finding gaps and hitting boundaries at crucial moments to complete the chase with over 16 overs to spare.
“Now he’s got his eyes fixed. We’ve been arguing for a couple years, well, I’ve been arguing that he should be batting above me. So he’s cemented that, I hope. But, a fantastic way for him to bring it home,” Starc said after the first ODI (via the Roar).
Cummins has built a reputation as a dependable batsman under pressure. In addition to once holding the record for the fastest fifty in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he has played several pivotal innings that showcased his resilience.
He played a key role in helping Australia finish the run chase in the 2023 Ashes opener at Edgbaston and provided crucial support when Glenn Maxwell went on a rampage against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Cummins played a similar role during Australia’s 2024 tour of New Zealand, contributing an unbeaten 32 in the fourth innings to seal the chase.
“I always prefer sitting in the dressing room”- Pat Cummins
At one point, it appeared Australia would easily chase down the target with plenty of wickets and overs left. However, Haris Rauf’s double strike in the 21st over shifted the momentum, setting up a tense finish.
“Tonight we got it done, always much prefer sitting in the changing room. Wonderful match but got a bit tighter than we would have liked,” Cummins said during the post-match presentation.
Cummins has accumulated over 1000 runs in Test cricket, including three half-centuries, and has remained unbeaten in seven of his last 11 ODI innings. The second ODI between Australia and Pakistan is scheduled for Friday, November 8, at the Adelaide Oval.
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