Australia secured a narrow two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first ODI at the MCG, successfully chasing a target of 204 runs. The match saw a dramatic middle-order collapse for Australia, which fell to 139 for six, mainly due to Haris Rauf's impressive spell that included three wickets in quick succession. Despite this setback, captain Pat Cummins steadied the innings with an unbeaten 32 runs, guiding his team to victory with 99 balls to spare. Earlier, Pakistan struggled to set a competitive total, being bowled out for 203, with notable contributions from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Mitchell Starc achieved a milestone by reaching 100 ODI wickets in Australia faster than any other bowler. This win puts Australia ahead in the three-match series, with Pakistan looking to rebound in the next match.