BRISBANE – Australia on Thursday defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in rain-hit opener of the three-match T20I series at Brisbane.
In pursuit of 94 runs target, Pakistan team crumbled at 64 in the seven over match, as the rain caused reduction in the overs.
Pakistan’s run-chase was unimpressive from the very start as Mohammad Rizwan was removed for duck while Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for eight runs. Babar Azam scored three runs before he was removed by Ellis.
After the opening and middle order failed to perform, tail-enders Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi and Haseebullah Khan showed furious batting skills but they could not secure the win for their side
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to field first.
The match has been reduced to seven overs as rain caused delay of around two and half hours in toss which was scheduled for 12:30 pm PST.
Six players – Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufiyan Moqim and Usman Khan joined the T20I squad in Brisbane on 11 November after undergoing a five-day training camp in Karachi.
Pakistan and Australia’s last bilateral face-off in the T20I format came in March 2022 when the two teams played a one-off T20I in Lahore which Australia won. In Pakistan’s last T20I series in Australia in November 2019, the hosts won 2-0 after the opening game ended up as no result.
Josh Inglis will lead Australia in the T20I series while Tim David and Nathan Ellis have joined Australia’s T20I squad. Josh Philippe has replaced injured Cooper Connolly.
Pakistan Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain – wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan
