Pakistan needed just two runs to win off the final over of Sunday’s one-day clash with Australia against the gentle offspin of Glenn Maxwell.
The 25-year-old Victorian produced a double-wicket maiden, striking with the second and sixth balls to deliver a remarkable one-run win for Australia.
Australia had made 9-231, about 30 runs shy of what skipper George Bailey wanted, before bowling Pakistan out for 230 in Abu Dhabi in front of a few hundred spectators.
Thanks to a 3-0 cleansweep of the series, Australia have reclaimed the No.1 ranking – although it may be swiftly regained by India depending on the result of their current series against the West Indies.
Bailey had used his pace bowlers Kane Richardson (2-36), James Faulkner (2-52) and Mitchell Starc (1-30) and frontline spinner Xavier Doherty (2-54) to make key breakthroughs, which left him with Maxwell to step up in the final over.
Bailey said it was a stressful experience.
“Ideally we’re taking those wickets earlier,” Bailey said.
“I felt unless we got our quicks, got some wickets and got ourselves back in the game then they were going to win the game in about the 47th over.
“We had to try to get back into the game to try to win it.”
Bailey’s gamble paid off and Maxwell put it down to good fortune.
“I got a bit of luck at the end,” man-of-the-match Maxwell said.
“George was just basically saying ‘don’t get hit for runs’.
“When you’re in that situation you’ve just to pray and hope.”
Maxwell made 117 runs at 39 in the series and claimed four wickets.
Pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson was rested for game three after his six wickets in the first two games, while Steve Smith was named player of the series after his 77 on Sunday to go with his 101 in the first game in Dubai on October 7.
Smith was also involved in the controversial dismissal of Pakistan’s Fawad Alam for a duck after Smith ran from slip to leg slip while Doherty’s delivery was in flight.
The left-hander had shaped to sweep and when he completed the shot he looked around in horror to see Smith grab the catch, which is allowed under new playing conditions introduced on October 1 which permit a fielder to move if a batsman shapes to play a particular shot.
Bailey wasn’t celebrating the top ranking which capped off a fine series for Australia ahead of the home summer which includes Australia and New Zealand co-hosting the World Cup in February and March.
“As a team, a whitewash is what you want,” he said.
“It’s lovely to be ranked number one in the world.
“Come the World Cup I think it will have zero bearing. It means nothing.”
Australia’s preparations for their two-Test series against Pakistan starting in Dubai on October 22 aren’t going to plan, however, with opening batsman David Warner suffering a groin injury while fielding.
Warner, who made 56, is in doubt for Wednesday’s four-day game against Pakistan A.
