Rauf and Ayub star in Pakistan's resounding 9-wicket win over Australia

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Fast bowler Haris Rauf took 5-29 and Saim Ayub scored 82 runs as Pakistan defeated Australia by nine wickets in the second one-day international on Friday.

Australia was 163 all out in 35 overs against Rauf’s relentless pace and left-hander Ayub smashed six sixes and five fours as Pakistan cruised to 169-1 in 26.3 overs to level the three-match series.

Former captain Babar Azam (15 not out) clinched the victory with a pulled six off Adam Zampa with Abdullah Shafique staying unbeaten on 64 off 69 balls which featured four boundaries and three sixes.

The series decider will be played at Perth on Sunday with Australia resting five frontline players to prepare for the five-match home test series against India, starting from Nov. 22 at Perth.

“Obviously this win gives us confidence," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan, who won the toss and elected to field. “We want to keep that confidence going. All the bowlers had plans and they worked well.”

The opening pair of Ayub and Shafique had been criticized for a run of low scores in test matches, but both blunted the Australian pace with a match-winning stand of 137 runs after Pakistan kept faith in the duo in the white-ball format.

Ayub took his time against fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc before he grew in confidence and flicked Pat Cummins, Starc and Aaron Hardie for sixes and also smashed Zampa for two big hits.

The left-hander, who made his ODI debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday, got a reprieve just before reaching a half century when Zampa dropped a sitter at third man, but he offered a tame catch at short third man just when he looked set for a century.

Earlier, Rauf, who nearly pulled off a victory for Pakistan in the first game, found the outside edges of the bats consistently by hitting the right lengths.

Wicketkeeper Rizwan took six catches — four off Rauf’s bowling — and could have had a seventh one had he not dropped a top-edge off Zampa (18) before Australia was dismissed.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26) provided the breakthrough inside the first power play. Jake Fraser-McGurk hit three crisp boundaries on the off side in Naseem Shah’s first over to get Australia rolling before Afridi’s twin strike pushed back Australia.

Afridi dropped Matt Short at deep fine leg when the ball burst through his hands to the boundary but the left-arm fast bowler made amends when he had Short caught at covers after trapping Fraser-McGurk plumb leg before wicket.

Afridi ended Australia’s below-par innings when Zampa played a full ball back onto his stumps. Zampa flicked Naseem Shah for a six and a four in an over which enabled the home team to cross the 150-run mark.

Rauf sliced through the middle-order with only Steve Smith scoring 35 off 48 balls before he too chased a wide short ball of Mohammad Hasnain and edged behind the wicket.

Hazlewood replaced Sean Abbott in the only change Australia made from the team which edged Pakistan in the first game.

Starc, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cummins and Hazlewood all will be rested for the final game of the series on Sunday. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was named interim captain for the last ODI at Perth.

Inglis will also lead the side in next week’s three T20s against Pakistan with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head away on paternity leave.

“Wasn’t one of our best days," Cummins said of Friday's heavy loss. “You hope to get more than 160, (but) they bowled well. We got some catchers in, tried to attack, but it wasn’t to be.”

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Fans wave Pakistan's flag as their team play against Australia during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Jake Fraser-McGurk during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Mohammad Hasnain jumps in air as he celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Steve Smith during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Hasan Ali, right, celebrates the wicket of Australia's Glenn Maxwell during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique bats against Australia during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Adam Zampa drops a catch against Pakistan during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Saim Ayub raises his bat after making 50 runs against Australia during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Saim Ayub, right, hits a six in front of Australia's Josh Inglis during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan drops a catch against Australia during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Josh Inglis a hits an edge and is caught out by Pakistan's captain Mohammad Rizwan off the bowling of Pakistan's Haris Rauf during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Glenn Maxwell chops onto his stumps off the bowling of Pakistan's Haris Rauf during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Naseem Shah, center, is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of Australia's Mitchell Starc during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Glenn Maxwell bats against Pakistan during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Haris Rauf, left, celebrates taking the wicket of Australia's Aaron Hardie, right, during their one day international cricket match in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Haris Rauf jumps in air as he celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Josh Inglis during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Haris Rauf, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Australia's Marnus Labuschagne during the second one day international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Adelaide, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Pakistan's Haris Rauf, left, celebrates the wicket of Australia's Glenn Maxwell during their one day international cricket match in Melbourne, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Australia's not-out batters Pat Cummins, right, and Mitchell Starc walk off the ground after their win over Pakistan during their one day international cricket match in Melbourne, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Jimmy Butler was suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks, a move that adds to the possibility he has already played his final game for the franchise.

Butler drew the latest suspension — this one will last two games — for what the team in a statement Wednesday night called a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team," including missing the Heat's flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday and at Brooklyn on Saturday.

The earliest he could play for the Heat again is Monday, at home against Orlando.

And that would hinge on him still being on the roster, which seems far from guaranteed.

Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, a demand he has not made publicly because league rules do not allow players to do so. Any player who makes such a demand known is risking a fine of up to $150,000.

But the Heat revealed that request when suspending him in early January for what they called conduct detrimental to the team, and said at that time that they will work to accommodate his trade request.

The NBA's trade deadline is Feb. 6.

Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary. Butler returned last week and has played in each of the last three Miami games, averaging 13.0 points in 29.3 minutes.

The Heat left for Milwaukee around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. That departure time is earlier than Miami leaves for most of its trips, and it's unclear if that was a factor for Butler.

The dates for the scheduled games on this Heat road trip coincide with a padel tournament in Miami, one that lists Butler as an honorary chairman and co-captain. Butler’s coffee company, Big Face, is also involved with the event. But it was not known if Butler planned on being present for that event in Miami and if that had anything to do with him missing the flight to Milwaukee.

Butler's expected breakup with the Heat has been brewing for several weeks, if not months. The primary issue that caused the fracture in the relationship was money; he’s eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension and the Heat never offered such a deal, largely because he’s missed about 25% of the team’s games since he arrived in 2019.

There were other factors. Butler has made no secret that he's not happy with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn't participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters for the last three games, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle going on around the bench.

“There was a lot said by everybody, except for me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after his first game back following the suspension. “We’ll let people keep talking. ... The whole truth will come out.”

The latest chapter of the Butler-Heat saga comes one day after Phoenix swung a deal with Utah to acquire three first-round draft picks that the Suns are expected to use as pieces in another trade — presumably one that would bring Butler to them. Such a deal for Butler would be complicated for the Suns, and likely would involve at least three and possibly even more teams to make all the pieces fit.

The Butler trade watch has gone on for weeks, and his hair color for some December games just happened to match the primary colors of Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State and Houston — the four teams that were most prominently mentioned as possible trade partners for Miami.

And for Tuesday’s game against Portland, Butler wore shoes tinged in orange — perfectly matching the Suns’ color scheme.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler walks on the court after an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left, greets rapper Lil Baby, right, after an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) stands on the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)