CANBERRA (Manuka Oval): Australia has beaten Pakistan by seven wickets in the second T20I played here today.
Pakistan, that had decided to bat first after winning the toss had set a 151-run target for Kangaroos who reached the target with nine balls remaining.
Though Green Shirts managed to muster 150 runs up during their inning for the loss of six wickets, it lost two wickets in the first five overs of the match.
Opening batsman Fakhar Zaman, who scored two runs off seven balls, was sent back to the pavilion. Haris Sohail who made 6 runs off nine balls too was dismissed when Pakistan’s total score was 29 runs. Kane Richardson and Pat Cummins picked up a wicket each for Kangaroos.
Mohammad Rizwan joined his teammates after scoring 14 runs. Pakistan team was 106-5 after 16 overs. At that point Iftikhar Ahmed added 62 runs off 34 balls and Captain Babar Azam contributed 50 runs on the scoreboard. Ashton Agar picked up two wickets for Australia.
Steve Smith and Ben McDermott’s 3rd wicket partnership yielded 58-runs to keep Australia’s run-chase on track. All-rounder Imad Wasim dismissed McDermott, 21 off 22 balls however, Smith remained unbeaten on 80 runs off 51 balls.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s status as T20I’s world number one was at stake at the beginning of the series. Because it could have lost the top spot if Australia had white washed. However, thanks to the rain the Pakistan will now remain cozily perched at the top even if it fails to win any of the two matches against Kangaroos.
The first of three-match series played in Sydney was abandoned due to rain. The final T20 will be played in Perth on Friday before the two sides face each other in two Tests.
Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Steve Smith, Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa.
A relevant piece published earlier:
Cricket T20I: Rain comes to Green Shirts’ rescue against Kangaroos
SYDNEY: Australians had to chase a target of 119 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method after Pakistan scored 107 for five off a reduced 15 overs.
But the first T20I of three was abandoned when Sydney was lashed by heavy rains. By that time Australia was 41 sans loss of any wicket. Captain Aaron Finch had scored 37 off the opening 3.1 overs, David Warner had scored 2.
Finch, while expressing his disappointment, termed the unfolding of events as frustrating: “The 20 minute break in between innings was an interesting one. When you lose a few overs and then you still have a 20 minute break I thought that was really interesting. It probably played out of our hands at that moment. But you can’t do too much about the weather.
“If you’re cutting overs off the game and you still have a 20 minute break it doesn’t make much sense to me. But it’s part of the rules and you can’t do much about it. We played really well. To restrict them to 107 off 15 overs was a great effort and then to be on track to get them was nice. When you’re old and fat you get a bit of luck sometimes. It was nice to get a few out of the middle. Like I said, a bit unfortunate the rain played such a part.”
Next T20I between Green Shirts and Kangaroos is scheduled to be played on Tuesday (5th day of November, 2019) in Canberra and the final in Perth. Later Pakistan and Australia will be playing two Tests.
ICC took to the Twitter to maintain:
“Persistent rain results in the first T20I between Pakistan and Australia getting washed out. The hosts seemed to be on track for a win at 41/0 in 3.1 overs, chasing a revised target of 119 from 15 overs, but had no luck with the weather Gods.”
Teams:
Australia: Aaron Finch (Skipper), David Warner, Steve Smith, Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (Skipper), Haris Sohail, Mohammad Rizwan, Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan.
Umpires: Gerard Abood (AUS and Paul Wilson (AUS)
TV Umpire: Shawn Craig (AUS)
Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)
