WATCH, AUS vs PAK | Shrewd Cummins buries the Steve Smith ghost in Ghulam with disguised bumper

ByArijit Kundu, SportsCafe Editor

11/04/2024

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A thinking person finds a way to taste success even if the road is full of obstacles. There shouldn’t be an iota of doubt about Pat Cummins' shrewd tactics on a cricket field as the Australian captain silenced a mimicking opposition in the first ODI against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Returning to International cricket after four months hiatus, fortune favoured Australian captain Pat Cummins during the toss as he elected to field first. The age-old new ball pair of Cummins and Mitchell Starc were outstanding first up with the latter outsmarting the openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique inside the first powerplay. With pressure building, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam jolted a brisk third-wicket partnership before the latter’s dismissal paved the way for Kamran Ghulam’s embarrassment.

After a mistimed pull off a back of a length delivery on the fourth delivery of the 19th over, Ghulam defended a good length delivery the next ball and mimicked Steve Smith’s ‘no run’ expressions. As the ball rebounded towards the bowler, Cummins chuckled on seeing the batter imitating his teammate. In reply, Cummins came over the wicket and bowled a sharp bouncer near the off stump line, leaving Ghulam off guard. The batter made a wayward leap while trying to poke at the white rock and ended up with a nick en route to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. In the space of a ball, Cummins buried Ghulam’s casual attitude leading to the right-hander's downfall.

Cummo wins the battle!