Australia Seal Series with Comprehensive Victory Over Pakistan
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| Australia defeated Pakistan by 13 runs to seal the series / Getty |
Australia defeated Pakistan by 13 runs to seal the series with a game to spare, thanks to a clinical all-round performance on a thrilling match day. The victory was built on solid contributions with both bat and ball, as the hosts showcased their dominance in the T20I leg of the tour.
Australia won the toss and opted to bat first, setting a challenging target of 148. The Australian openers, Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, were off to a flying start, racing to 50 in just 3.1 overs. Their aggressive strokeplay put Pakistan on the back foot early, but Haris Rauf responded with a double strike in his first over, dismissing both openers and keeping Pakistan's hopes alive.
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| Getty |
Despite the early breakthroughs, Australia’s middle order, led by Glenn Maxwell (21), Marcus Stoinis (14), Tim David (18), and Aaron Hardie (28), ensured that they posted a competitive total of 147/9 by the end of their innings.
In reply, Pakistan’s chase got off to a disastrous start as they lost both openers cheaply. Xavier Bartlett was the key architect of Pakistan’s downfall, removing Babar Azam early in the innings. Sahibzada Farhan followed soon after, dismissed for just 5 runs. The pressure mounted as Agha Salman was dismissed for a golden duck, leaving Pakistan in disarray at 14/3.
Usman Khan kept Pakistan's hopes alive with a resilient half-century, but the pressure of the chase soon got to him as he was dismissed shortly after reaching his milestone. Irfan Khan Niazi provided a late cameo, but the task was too steep for Pakistan as they were bowled out for 134, falling short by 13 runs.
Spencer Johnson was the standout bowler, claiming a career-best 5/26, and putting the finishing touches on a remarkable performance. His destructive spell helped seal the win and the series for Australia, as they now lead the T20I series 2-0 with one match still to play.
With this comprehensive victory, Australia have confirmed their series triumph and will now aim to complete the sweep in the final match of the series. Pakistan, on the other hand, will look to regroup and put in a stronger performance in their last opportunity to salvage pride.