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3 Pakistan Captains Who Have Won A Series In Australia

Aakash Saini

Pakistan players with the 2024 ODI series trophy in Australia [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]Pakistan players with the 2024 ODI series trophy in Australia [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]

The Pakistan men’s team, one of the undisputed powerhouses in the world of cricket, has faced its share of hardships on Australian grounds. Despite boasting of some of the greatest fast bowlers in the world throughout the ages, Pakistani quicks have often struggled on the bouncy and pacer-friendly conditions of Australia, regardless of the format.

The unfavorable track record of the bowlers, coupled with the familiar batting struggles, have often compounded in crushing series defeats for Pakistan on Australian surfaces, primarily in bilateral affairs. However, every now and then, a Pakistan team tends to spring up a surprise or two by upstaging cricket’s most decorated nation at their own den.

Here, we take a look back at each instance of a Pakistani team captain who has risen like a phoenix to guide his team to an international series win on Australian soil.

Pakistan Captains With Series Wins in Australia - 

3. Wasim Akram in 1997

Wasim Akram led Pakistan to its first-ever tri-series victory on Australian soil by defeating West Indies 2-0 in a best of three finals back in early 1997. Under the leadership of Akram, the ‘Men in Green’ qualified for the finals over hosts Australia by securing four wins from eight quadruple round-robin matches between December 1996 and January 1997, defeating Australia thrice and West Indies once in the opening round of the three-team ODI competition.

The legendary fast bowler himself picked up 15 wickets in 10 matches of the series, at an exceptional bowling average of 18. In the second final against West Indies, the speedster headlined Pakistan’s bowling spectacle with match-winning figures of 3-17 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Akram’s heroics with the ball and as a leader ensured hosts Australia missed their tickets to the finals of a home tri-series for the first time since the 1979-80 season.

2. Waqar Younis in 2002

The Pakistan cricket team recorded its first-ever bilateral series win in Australia, regardless of the format, by winning their three-match ODI rubber from June 2002 with a 2-1 margin. After getting pummeled in the series-opener by fast bowler Andy Bichel and legendary wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium, the ‘Men in Green’ bounced back with a two-wicket win in a low-scoring thriller a couple of days later at the same venue.

Captain Waqar Younis notched up the winning runs alongside unbeaten half-centurion and ‘Player of the Match’ Younis Khan. In the subsequent series-decider at the Gabba, one of Waqar’s promising pace subjects, rising star Shoaib Akhtar, tore through Australia’s star-studded line-up with sizzling figures of 5-25 to set up Pakistan’s emphatic series-clinching 91-run victory. Akhtar bagged the ‘Player of the Match’ as well as the ‘Player of the Series’ award at the winner’s podium, shortly after Pakistan’s historic series win.

1. Mohammad Rizwan in 2024

A battered and bruised, and a seemingly broken Pakistan team arrived in Australia in November 2024 after undergoing a slew of management changes. With a new captain at the helm in the form of Mohammad Rizwan, the ‘Men in Green’ lost the first ODI of the tour at the MCG after Australia’s penultimate wicket pair denied visitors a heist to remember.

In the second ODI, the Pakistan team stunned one-and-all by demonstrating an exceptional all-round display against the 50-overs world champions. Haris Rauf (5-29) and Shaheen Afridi (3-26) punched above their weights to skittle Australia for just 163 before batters consumed 26.3 overs to bring the series to levelling terms.

The series decider at the Optus Stadium turned out to be an even bigger one-sider in favor of the tourists, as Pakistan pacers collectively demolished the hosts for just 140 in less than 32 overs. Mohammad Rizwan and co. mowed down their target with eight wickets to spare in 26.5 overs as Pakistan registered its first ODI series win in Australia in 22 years.