Maxwell stars as Australia beat Pakistan to take 4-0 lead

Dubai: Glenn Maxwell missed a hundred by 2 runs as Australia defeated Pakistan by six runs in the fourth one-day international in Dubai on Friday to take 4-0 lead in the five-match series.

Nathan Coulter-Nile was the most impressive Australian bowler taking three wickets while conceding 53 runs.

Earlier, Maxwell’s 98 guided Australia to 277-7. The dashing middle-order batsman knocked three sixes and nine boundaries in his 82 ball knock to lift Australia -- sent into bat by Pakistan -- from 140-5 to an imposing total on a slow Dubai stadium pitch.

A new look Pakistan team -- with Imad Wasim as skipper after Shoaib Malik was ruled out with a rib injury -- had caught Australia napping at 101-4 when Maxwell walked in.

He repaired the innings with a 134-run partnership for the sixth with Alex Carey who finished with 67-ball 55 for his maiden fifty with three boundaries.

Maxell, bowled by fast bowler Usman Shinwari off a no-ball when on 76, was within a stroke of his second ODI hundred when he was run out while attempting a double run.

Carey supplemented Maxwell well, as the pair beat the previous sixth wicket stand in Australia-Pakistan ODIs of 90 between Dirk Wellham and Rod Marsh at Sydney in 1981.

Mohammad Hasnain (2-52), Wasim (2-56) and Yasir Shah (2-57) shared the wickets.

Australia, who have already won the five-match series 3-0, brought in fast bowlers Kane Richardson and Nathan Coulter-Nile in place of Pat Cummins and Jason Behrendorff.

Pakistan were forced to make two changes as Malik suffered rib injury and opener Imam ul Haq fever to withdraw from the game, handing opener Abid Ali and batsman Saad Ali ODI debuts.

The last match will also be played in Dubai on March 31.

Following the tradition of resting key players ahead of the World Cup, Australia’s star pacer Pat Cummins will return home from Dubai, missing the two remaining ODIs.

According to a www.cricket.com.au report, the Australian team management doesn’t want to take any chances ahead of the impending World Cup and the Ashes beginning after that.

Cummins sat out the opening two matches of the series in the UAE and returned to the side in the third ODI on Wednesday, taking three wickets as Australia grabbed an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.