Virat Kohli's unbeaten 82 guided home to a thrilling win off the last ball against Pakistan.
After left-armer Afridi's two early wickets, Australia could have been in even deeper trouble but Pakistan failed to capitalise on chances offered by Khawaja and Smith.
The PCB is still apprehensive about sending its team to India for the ODI World Cup but ICC is "confident" that the Babar Azam-led team will compete in the 50-over showpiece.
David Warner made 34 in what is likely to be his penultimate innings in the long form of cricket as Australia reached 116 for two on the rain-disrupted second day of the third Test against Pakistan on Thursday.
The wickets proved to be mere consolation for Pakistan as Salt continued his onslaught and struck the winning runs in the 15th over, ending with 13 fours and three sixes in his 41-ball knock.
Pakistan scored 182 runs and Tom Latham's side fell well short of their target despite a hat-trick from Matt Henry, with Haris Rauf claiming four wickets for 18 runs as New Zealand were dismissed for 94, with more than four overs remaining.
Dominic Xavier wonders why India has lost its mojo.
India were placed fourth with 105 points but the 10-wicket win on Tuesday propelled them to 108 rating points, leaving Pakistan behind
Pat Cummins leads Australia fightback after Pakistan take early honours
With this win, Pakistan are now in the sixth spot with seven points, keeping their hopes alive of reaching the knock-out stage.
Hazlewood to miss out again as Australia announce unchanged playing XI for final Test
Rahul sits in the third position with Aaron Finch, who completed his 1,000 runs in 29 innings.
Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, who took a wicket each in the three matches, conceding a total of 62 runs off his 12 overs, overtook Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga for the top spot.
The Asian Cricket Council could accept PCB chairman Najam Sethi's proposed Hybrid Model for conducting four non-India Asia Cup games in Pakistan.
Steve Smith smashed an unbeaten half-century to power Australia to a seven-wicket victory against Pakistan in the second T20 International in Canberra on Tuesday.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Test played between Australia and Pakistan at SCG on Friday.
Some of the top cricketers are contemplating terminating their central contracts with the Pakistan Cricket Board after some were refused NOCs to go and play in foreign T20 leagues.
USA's sparkling debut, Afghan bravehearts' dream run and India's brilliance
'I would request Mr Modi to improve the relations between India and Pakistan and arrange a match between the two teams.'
Put into bat, India could not really recover after Shaheen Afridi wrecked their top order.
Pakistan will aim to maintain their remarkable consistency against a spirited Namibia and seal a semi-final spot in the T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Kumble, who witnessed Arshdeep's growth from close quarters as Punjab Kings head coach, is hugely impressed with the lanky pacer.
Akram had lambasted the team for being lethargic on the field after their loss to Afghanistan. In a post-match show on Pakistan based A Sports channel, Akram said it looks like the team has been eating kilos of meat every day.
But Stokes then introduced Ahmed in the afternoon session and the youngster ripped apart Pakistan's middle order.
Images from Friday's World Cup match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, at Lord's.
A look at 5 key battles in Sunday's clash at the T20 World Cup in Dubai.
Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis have stepped down from their respective roles, the country's cricket board (PCB) said on Monday.
Six of the 10 Pakistan cricketers bound for England who tested positive for COVID-19 have now registered negative results on re-testing, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday. Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz, however, must return a second negative result before they can join the main squad of 20 players who will leave for England on Sunday.
'The matches between India and Pakistan are the biggest in the world.'
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said the hosts would field their strongest side against Pakistan, which means a welcome return for spinner Nathan Lyon, who will chase his 500th Test wicket after injury ruled him out of the last three matches of the Ashes.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for the World Cup match against Pakistan?
Azhar was named Test captain this month in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed whose spot as wicketkeeper has been taken by Mohammad Rizwan.
Virat Kohli's supreme fitness was evident in his 47th ODI century while comeback man KL Rahul produced an equally engaging ton on comeback as India thrashed a listless Pakistan by record 228-run margin.
A source in the cricket board made it clear that more legal notices could be sent to some other former players who have their own Youtube channels and appear regularly on the media for their comments.
The former Pakistan spinner has also come out in support of Deepak Hooda, who has not been included in the playing XI, despite being in top form in the white-ball setup.
Team Director Mickey Arthur accepted that Pakistan's batters lacked aggression against India during their first defeat in three matches at the ICC World Cup.
'He has scored one fifty in five matches, and it was a scratchy fifty against Netherlands.'
Rajneesh Gupta lists interesting records from the first week of the Super 12 competition in the T20 World Cup in the UAE.
The visiting bowlers claimed 13 wickets on the final day to win the second Test by an innings and eight runs.