Australia will have to go back to the drawing board to contain Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq if they are to win the ODI series against Pakistan, according to Marnus Labuschagne.
Imam’s 106 runs off 97 balls combined with a stunning 114 off 83 from Babar broke the back of a record ODI chase for Pakistan after they were set 349 for victory.
Labuschagne, who had earlier chimed in with a busy 59 runs from 49 balls, had a front row seat for Pakistan’s batting pyrotechnics and was a reluctant admirer of the way Babar paced his innings on a high-scoring night at Gaddafi Stadium.
“I mean, I enjoyed every minute of watching it, it is a pity it was against us,” said Labuschagne. “But that was a very good innings.
“I sat back, I took some things on board for my own game to learn from that innings.
“I mean to score a hundred off I think of 73 balls there, barely stepped a foot wrong, and the way he played was just phenomenal.
“I think if we can find a way to get him out early put a bit more pressure on the middle to lower order, we're a chance, but he batted us out of the game today and fair play to him.
“It was a tremendous innings.”
While Babar has strengthened his claim as arguably the best batter currently playing across all formats during this tour, Imam has also been a stubborn stumbling block for Australia, scoring twin centuries in the first Test at Rawalpindi and then notching up centuries in both of the ODI’s.
“I think we have to think maybe a little bit more outside the box,” said Labuschagne. “I think he's played beautifully.
“You know, he hasn't really put a foot wrong. and he's the type of player that doesn't give you many opportunities to get him out.
“Look - it is one for us to have a look at, obviously there's not much bounce and pace out on these wickets.
“In Australia where you'd go short ball and try and get it high and get a catch, maybe at square leg or fine leg, you don't have that luxury over here, you've kind of got to keep going at the stumps.
“There was a little bit of reverse swing, but he's a very good player. He's in the top ten One-Day players in the world at the moment and he's clearly showing that.
“So we've got to go to the chalkboard and come up with some ideas but it's always nice when it's coming into a series decider in the last game.”
Labuschagne was also in a prime position to witness Ben McDermott’s maiden ODI century. The pair put on a 74-run partnership that brought back memories of backyard cricket in Queensland, where McDermott grew up and began his professional career before relocating to Tasmania.
“Me and Ben go back to under 11s, under 12s, playing together,” said Labuschagne. “We were best mates growing up in Australia.
“He was over at my house almost every second day, coming on the train home, and we used to hit in my backyard.
“So it's a very special moment for me to be able to share that with him with the history we have.
“We've been very good friends for a long time and it was so nice to see the hard work that he's put in domestic cricket and in the Big Bash and his four-day game as well, he's just come such a long way and I was over the moon for him today.
The deciding match of the ODI series will be played in Lahore on Saturday before the tour wraps up with a T20 International on Tuesday.
