Century by Haris in vain as Australia sweep Pakistan 5-0

DUBAI: Australia inflicted a 5-0 one-day international series whitewash over Pakistan on Sunday with a 20-run win at the Dubai International Stadium.

A bristling knock from opener Usman Khawaja (98) helped Aussies to put a 327 run total in the fifth and final one-day international.

Pakistan scored 305 runs in its chase courtesy 130 runs from Haris Sohail and a half-century from skipper Imad Wasim. Middle-order batsman Umar Akmal scored 43 runs, reported Geo News.

Khawaja was all set for his third hundred this month but fell for 98 which lifted Australia to an imposing 327-7 in 50 overs after they were sent into bat on a flat Dubai stadium pitch. Glenn Maxwell celebrated his 100th one-day international with a thumping 33-ball 70, Shaun Marsh scored 68-ball 61 and skipper Aaron Finch made 69-ball 53 to lead a run spree against a hapless Pakistan bowling attack. It was Maxwell´s ten fours and three sixes that helped Australia to 107 runs in the last ten overs. He was finally bowled by paceman Junaid Khan who finished with three wickets for 73.

Khawaja, who hit ten boundaries in his 111-ball innings, set the platform with a solid 134-run opening stand with Finch for pair´s second hundred run stand in the series, which Australia lead 4-0.

Finch was finally bowled by pacer Usman Shinwari, finishing with 451 runs in the series, only 27 short of George Bailey´s record in a bilateral series he made against India in 2013. Khawaja, who made his first two ODI career hundreds in India earlier this month, was all set for his third but fell to a miscued drive off Shinwari, who finished with 4-49.

Pakistan were once without skipper Shoaib Malik, who was rested after failing to fully recover from a rib injury which also forced him to miss the last game on Friday. Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas came in for Mohammad Hasnain while Australia replaced Nathan Coulter-Nile with Jason Behrendorff.