Cricket: Pakistan cruise to victory over Australia

ABU DHABI - Pakistan batsmen Kamran Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq have stunned Australia with a brilliant partnership to notch a seven-wicket victory in their one-day international in Abu Dhabi.

Chasing Australia's 250 for four, the pair guided Pakistan from 56 for three to 254 for three in 47 overs, putting on 198 in 186 balls.

Akmal's 116 from 115 balls was his fifth one-day century, while Misbah scored 76 from 81 balls.

Australia had entered the series finale with an unbeatable 3-1 lead after winning the previous three matches

They looked set to continue their dominance overnight (NZT) until Akmal and Misbah came together.

After Michael Clarke won the toss, all-rounder Shane Watson batted throughout Australia's innings for an unbeaten 116 to help his side to reach the highest score of the series.

The previous best had been Australia's 208 for four to win game two in Dubai.

Watson's century, his second in one-day internationals, continued his fine form with the bat, following his 85 not out in the previous match.

Initially, the target seemed beyond Pakistan, who made a disastrous start to their innings.

Opener Salman Butt was brilliantly run out by Ben Laughlin without facing a ball, just two deliveries in.

Younus Khan and Ahmed Shehzad provided some stability, before off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, introduced to the attack in the 12th over, picked up both of them within the space of his first three overs.

At that stage Pakistan were 56 for three from 16 overs and seemingly headed towards a big defeat.

But Misbah and Akmal completely changed the tone of the match with some attacking flair from the start of their partnership.

Misbah hit the first ball he faced for four, pulling Michael Clarke to the midwicket fence.

Clarke conceded 19 runs from the first two overs he bowled, before exiting the attack, with Hauritz being taken for 11 from the over in between.

Akmal and Misbah brought up their 50-run stand in less than seven overs together.

Akmal showed great touch against the spinners, sweeping, reverse-sweeping and glancing them to great effect.

Misbah was the more hard-hitting of the two in the early stages of their partnership, but Akmal gradually took over as the dominant partner, playing some beautiful pull shots off the pacemen when they returned to the attack.

Clarke swung the bowling changes to try to stem the flow of runs, but none of them were able to cause any discomfort as Pakistan cruised towards victory, bringing up the win with a flurry of boundaries.

The teams will meet again in a one-off Twenty20 game in Dubai on Thursday.

- AAP